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.

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.

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!

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