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Dodgers depth chart: 1 player moving up, 1 moving down, and 1 in the middle
The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten off to a not-so-great start to begin the 2023 season. Sure, the Dodgers have not been as bad as the San Francisco Giants, but there's some obvious need for improvement if LA is going to rise to the top of he National League West Division this season.
While the team as a whole has yet to perform up to its potential, there've been a couple players who've risen to the occasion. In the same breath, however, there've certainly been a few who've fallen short of expecations.
As such, perhaps it's time for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to make some changes. Who is the one player that need to be moved up LA's depth chart, and which two need to take a seat on the bench?
Dodgers depth chart: Trayce Thompson should be moved up
So much attention has been thrust upon rookie outfielder James Outman and former MVP Mookie Betts that Trayce Thompson seems to get lost in the shuffle. While both Outman and Betts are playing quite well, Thompson is posting teriffic numbers in his own right.
Thompson has a higher slugging percentage than Outman and a higher OPS than Betts. With veterans like Jason Heyward and David Peralta hitting below the Mendoza line, it stands to reason that Thompson should be moving up the team's depth chart.
Thompson has fewer at-bats than Peralta, but more home runs than both he and Heyward combined. Thompson's .994 OPS trails only Will Smith, who's still on the IL. If Dave Roberts wants to put his three best outfielders in the field on a regular basis, Trayce Thompson should definitely be in the mix.
Thompson has hit a bit of slump since his three-home run performance on April 1st, but his overall numbers are still better than both Jason Heyward and David Peralta. Heyward has picked up two hits in his last six games, and Peralta was all singles in recent days, prior to a home run Wednesday.
Dodgers depth chart: J.D. Martinez showing progress
J.D. Martinez was the Los Angeles Dodgers replacement for the departed Justin Turner. Ironically, Turner signed with Martinez's former team, the Boston Red Sox.
Unfortunately, Martinez has not yet lived up to the billing often, save for one red-hot game on Tuesday night.
Turner has recently boosted his slash line to .277/.385/.385, but Martinez is not having the same consistent impact on his new ball club. A 4-for-5 night on Tuesday with a pair of homers inflated his season stats (small sample size!), but his on-base percentage still lingers around .300. That's not what you'd expect from your designated hitter.
Martinez is just that as well - purely a DH. Sure, in a pinch, Dave Roberts could throw Martinez into the outfield, but the slugger spent all last season as the Red Sox designated hitter, and with the talent in LA's outfield, you have to assume that's the plan for Martinez in 2023.
Obviously Martinez's $10 million salary dictates that he still plays, and on a regular basis at that. But maybe when a southpaw is on the bump, it's time for J.D. Martinez to take a seat. The 35-year-old is hitting just .105 off lefties this season, quite the shift from his career batting average of .305 against left-handed pitchers.
If Martinez can put a few more consistent games together that resemble his Tuesday showcase (which he followed up with an RBI double...), he might get the up arrow. But one game isn't enough to change his trajectory just yet.
Dodgers depth chart: Michael Grove should be moved down
It would appear as though it's time to end the Michael Grove experiment. The Los Angeles Dodgers have now allowed Grove to start three games, and the right-hander owns a 9.00 ERA with 14 punchouts in 15 innings of work.
Grove got walloped by the Arizona Diamondbacks in his start back on April 9, allowing 12 hits and nine earned runs in just 3.1 innings of work. His latest outing against the Chicago Cubs was much better, as he lasted nearly six innings and allowed just one run. But that was the Cubs.
LA's starting rotation has certainly taken a hit. Walker Buehler is out for the year and Tony Gonsolin is on the IL as well. But maybe it's time for the Dodgers to go ahead and promote Gavin Stone to the big leagues.
Stone pitched well in the minors last season, and while he's faced a few hurdles this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, the time is coming for the right-hander to make his big league debut. The latest injury report involving Pepiot is that he's unable to throw due to an oblique injury.
Gonsolin is much closer, after completing a bullpen session. Gonsolin is slated to begin a rehab stint very soon, and will likely replace the struggling Grove in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation sooner rather than later.
Next. 3 players the LA Dodgers gave up on too soon. dark