Dodgers: 5 players that prove LAD already has its next championship team in the works

4. Julio Urias

Need a lefty No. 2 behind Buehler? Here’s your guy … as long as the Dodgers keep him in the starting rotation.

Julio Urias recorded the final out of the 2020 World Series and immediately became a franchise legend. At just 24 years old, the left-hander has appeared in 76 career games (40 starts) and owns a 3.18 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with 241 strikeouts in 251.2 innings of work.

In the postseason? He’s 6-2 with a 2.79 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 39 strikeouts in 38.2 innings (18 total games, three starts).

Though he’s mostly been deployed as a hybrid pitching weapon, that’s sure to change as he continues to build up his strength after seeing limited time in 2017 and 2018 due to injuries and off-the-field issues. If his career hadn’t been interrupted by that, he might already be a mainstay in this rotation.

But he opens the 2021 season as a full-time starter for the first time in his big-league career and the Dodgers are likely hoping this is where he’ll be for the next decade or so. Already, he’s 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in his first two outings. He also barely surrenders home runs (0.7 per nine innings for his career), so that’ll support his narrative as a crafty lefty.

3. Will Smith

It feels like the Dodgers have been generous with platooning their catchers, but Will Smith has emerged so aggressively that he’ll be owning all the reps not too long from now.

He splits time with Austin Barnes, who already has 20 plate appearances in 2021, but Smith’s electrifying offense and improving defense will continue to force the issue.

Though he’s seen just 98 total career MLB games, he already has 25 homers and 71 RBI to go along with a .270/.371/.586 slash line. And he’s already come through in clutch moments in the postseason for the Dodgers despite his unsightly slash line in October. You’d take 13 RBI in 22 career playoff games from a 26-year-old, wouldn’t you?

Smith is already off to a hot start in 2021 and this will be his first 162-game slate since debuting in 2019. From a power-hitting standpoint, Smith is already comparable to JT Realmuto and Gary Sanchez. He obviously has a long way to go to maintain such a distinction among those sluggers, but his introduction to MLB has been highly recognized.

Catcher is one of the toughest positions to solidify on a roster, but Smith has shown he’s ready to take over as the franchise’s backstop after limited time on the field.

2. Zach McKinstry

Remember all that talk about who was going to take over for Kiké Hernández after he departed for the Boston Red Sox? OK, everyone knew that’d be Chris Taylor, but he’s a free agent after 2021 and the Dodgers have a number of other players who take priority.

The one constant on these great Dodgers teams in recent years was the presence of a do-it-all utility man. Hernández filled that void playing all over the infield and outfield while wielding a bat capable of hitting for power and delivering in clutch situations.

After an impressive spring training and the start of the 2021 season, Zack McKinstry looks like he’ll be able to fill that role on a full-time basis once it’s needed. Following injuries to Taylor, Betts and Bellinger, McKinstry has gotten more playing time from the jump than anyone could’ve imagined. And in typical Dodger fashion, he’s delivered with his versatility on his defense and lefty bat.

In nine games, he’s already slashing .321/.355/.679 with five runs scored, two home runs and 10 RBI in 31 plate appearances. He’s reiterated he wants to take over for Hernández, and so far, so good.

1. Gavin Lux

Lux still has to prove himself a bit with his bat, but his torrid spring training helped quell those concerns for the time being. He’s not off to the most head-turning of starts, but he’s yet to make an error in his 80 innings on defense (mostly at second base and a full game at shortstop). And he’s shown his bat can play at the big league level.

The fact of the matter is Lux is the youngest of this crew at 23 years old and certainly looks like he’s capable of playing the part. Fans certainly don’t want to see Corey Seager go, nor would they like to see Lux replace him at this juncture, but the Dodgers are using the 2021 season to see if that’s at all possible.

Seager’s return is far from set in stone and if his demands are too high for the Dodgers’ liking, the team will evaluate Lux’s performance from this year and determine if he’s able to slot in as the starting shortstop. At the very least, he appears to be capable of playing second base for quite a while if the team were to explore other shortstop options.

Regardless, Lux’s youth and potential have him slated to be a member of this middle infield for years to come. Hopefully it’s with Seager, but we can’t make any guarantees. If Lux delivers the goods this year, though, fans might be more comfortable if the middle infield torch is passed to him in the event their World Series MVP is serious about testing the open market.

Dodgers: Zach McKinstry allowing LAD to rest Mookie Betts

The Los Angeles Dodgers have plugged Zach McKinstry right in for Mookie Betts (and Cody Bellinger). This team is amazing in every way.