Dodgers: Four reasons why the universal DH could be beneficial

1) Best suited among NL teams

The Dodgers already have several options on their roster to fill the designated hitter spot each night, something not every National League club can say.

They don’t have to scurry to sign a free agent, or pull off a last-minute trade in order to adjust their roster for the designated hitter role. They can rely on the talent they have in house.

Whether it’s playing AJ Pollock in an everyday role, instead of a strict platoon with Joc Pederson, or finding more at-bats for current bench players, such as Enrique Hernandez, Chris Taylor, and Matt Beaty, or using an expanded roster to utilize a player like Edwin Rios, who otherwise would have been destined to start the season in the minor leagues, there are plenty of options.

FanGraphs projected the win above replacement value of potential DH players on National League teams, and the Dodgers were the only NL team with a projected value that ranked them within the top five among American League teams who were built to hit for the pitcher.

Compared to their competition, the Dodgers have an inherent advantage if MLB decides to institute the DH in the National League.

2) Improved Defense

Dave Roberts has a unique blend of talent up-and-down his roster with several players who offer Swiss Army Knife versatility. Max Muncy can play first base, but he can also slide over to second or third. Kiké Hernandez can play pretty much all over the diamond and outfield. The same can be said about Chris Taylor. Even Matt Beaty is more than just a corner option.

As Roberts looks to fill out the most poignant lineup in terms of offense each night, the DH position would allow him to keep players in the lineup without forcing them, or others, to play at relative weaker positions in the field.

If AJ Pollock is on a hot streak, and Roberts wants to use Pederson against a righty and keep Betts and Bellinger in the lineup, he can DH Pollock. He doesn’t need to move Bellinger to first base. He can keep the Gold Glove winner in the outfield.

And if he wants a better first baseman than Max Muncy, he can move Muncy’s powerful bat to the DH role, and try Matt Beaty at first.

There are a variety of options for Roberts to optimize his defense with the designated hitter as a safe spot to keep some of his best hitters in the lineup.

3) New opportunities

The Dodgers lineup doesn’t have many holes. In fact, you could argue, other than the at catcher and in left field, each starter deserves full playing time, 500 plate appearances.

For a bench unit that is stocked with versatile talent, adding the designated hitter role would create many new opportunities.

Think of a player like Kiké Hernandez, who is set to become a free agent after this season, and could use every at-bat he can get to prove his value on the open market. Without the DH, Hernandez would be stuck searching for playing time behind Gavin Lux at second, or Corey Seager at short, or somewhere else on the field where he could sneak into the lineup. The designated hitter role gives him a chance to swing the bat more regularly.

Same could be said of Chris Taylor. Or Matt Beaty. Or even AJ Pollock instead of being stuck in a platoon role with Joc Pederson.

And what about the players destined for the minor leagues who now might have an added roster spot to prove their value in the majors? Edwin Rios comes to mind.

The DH opens up several opportunities for Dodgers players in 2020.

4) Preserve the pitchers

As deep as the Dodgers lineup will look in 2020, the fate of the season still rests in the arms of their pitching staff. Rest the key word there.

There’s enough for Dodgers trainers to worry about in keeping the pitching staff fresh over what will certainly be a wild, compressed schedule if baseball is played this year. The DH at least eliminates one area of risk. The Dodgers wouldn’t have to lose sleep over a pitcher like Clayton Kershaw or Walker Buehler injuring themselves in a freak accident on the base paths.

The designated hitter also allows pitchers to remain focused on their routines throughout the game, rather than upsetting the rhythm of their pitching duties with a hitting assignment.

With the 2020 season expected to be played in less than ideal conditions, controlling as much of the game as possible will be a key task among players, managers, and trainers. Allowing the pitchers to rest between innings rather than putting on a batting helmet to take fruitless hacks at the plate would be helpful.