The Dodgers opened spring ball in Arizona yesterday with a 2-1 win over Oakland as spring training 2021 got underway.
After winning it all in 2020's abbreviated season, Los Angeles signed Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer to bolster a rotation that already boasts Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and is welcoming back David Price, who sat out the pandemic season.
In other words, the Dodgers were already loaded at starting pitching and signed the best pitcher on the market.
Of course, LA had to do something splashy after San Diego signed Blake Snell and Yu Darvish to join Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger. Clevinger is still on the injured list after Tommy John surgery and is not expected back in 2021.
San Diego was not at full strength in the 2020 playoffs with Clevinger and Lamet injured, but San Diego is primed to give the Dodgers a serious run for the money in 2021.
Remember, the Dodgers' path back to the Series will not be easy. San Diego looms as a threat to LA's hold on the NL West and Atlanta, which had Los Angeles down 3-1 in the NLCS, figures to be hungry in 2021.
The Dodgers' core lineup is intact from the championship run but role players Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez have moved on via free agency as well as pitchers Alex Wood, Jake McGee, and Pedro Baez. The Dodgers finally re-signed Justin Turner at third base and will give Gavin Lux another shot at second base and Edwin Rios some playing time at third. Chris Taylor will fill the gaps and will start at second if Lux is not ready for the big show. Max Muncy figures to get most of the starts at first base. Infielder Zach McKinstry will also get the chance to fill in where Kike Hernandez was used last year.
In the outfield, the Dodgers are set with A.J. Pollock, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts expected to get most of the starts.
Will Smith and Austin Barnes will share time behind the plate but many expect Keibert Ruiz to get some long looks at the backstop position.
In the pen, which shined in the postseason, the Dodgers added Cory Knebel and Tommy Kahnle to a pen that already boasts Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Scott Alexander, Joe Kelly, Victor Gonzalez, and Mitch White.
What could be pivotal for Los Angeles is if Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy can rebound from sub-par regular seasons a year ago. Bellinger followed his MVP season in 2019 with a .239 batting average in 2020 and Muncy hit a dismal .192 for the season.
If Bellinger and Muncy bounce back, LA's potent lineup could be even better.
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