Dodgers: Projecting 2021 starting rotation after Trevor Bauer signing

The Los Angeles Dodgers have done it. They added another former Cy Young winner to their star-studded rotation. Trevor Bauer will be toeing the mound for the reigning champs next season. Regardless of what they do now, they remain the heavy favorite to win back-to-back World Series in 2021.

But there are legitimate questions to be asked now. Most notably, what will the 2021 starting rotation look like? Dodgers fans would like to think they’d know right off the bat, but there are simply way too many options at the moment. Is a trade coming? Will roles be changed? It’s worth wondering, but those are conversations for, perhaps, tomorrow.

For now, let’s take a look at the best possible cast of starters the Dodgers could assemble for next season.

Trevor Bauer gets $102M for 3 years from Dodgers, per source. He has opt outs after each of the first two years; $40M in 2021, $45M in 2022. He'll be the highest-paid player in MLB history in '21, then again in '22. Good job by @AgentRachelLuba & Jon Fetterolf of @zssports_law.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 5, 2021

Projecting the Dodgers’ 2021 starting rotation after the Trevor Bauer signing.

Walker Buehler
Clayton Kershaw
Trevor Bauer
David Price
Dustin May

If we’re looking at this objectively, this is the most potent group LA could put together. As for Julio Urias and Tony Gonsolin? Well, Urias has been more of a bullpen arm at this point, and though he’s a lefty, the Dodgers would likely feel more comfortable using him as a hybrid starter-reliever. They’ll start him when they need the help and use him out of the ‘pen when necessary.

Gonsolin, who was Baseball America’s 2020 Rookie of the Year, flamed out hard in the postseason, pretty much getting tagged every time manager Dave Roberts called on him. We’d like to think he’ll get stashed as an extra talented arm, or traded in a package to help the Dodgers elsewhere.

The 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers now have the best starting pitching rotation in Major League Baseball since _____________________________ pic.twitter.com/UDdy0mYYnH
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 5, 2021

Then again, Bauer has opt outs after the 2021 and 2022 seasons, so maybe the Dodgers are simply arming themselves with as many options as possible to ensure they’re untouchable through October.

There will be plenty of starts to go around in a season where many pitchers probably won’t be being pushed to the brink of their innings limit.

What do you think, Dodgers fans? Do you like Dustin May at the No. 5 spot, or would you rather Urias to give the rotation two lefties? Do you prefer May as a potential long-term bullpen arm? There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s get the conversations going!

Dodgers sign Trevor Bauer in absolute stunner after Mets flirtation

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Trevor Bauer after he was apparently milliseconds away from joining the New York Mets on Thursday.

Projecting the Dodgers’ 2021 starting rotation after the Trevor Bauer signing.

Schedule