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Los Angeles Dodgers: Solving the Starting Rotation Mess

By Sunit Bhakta

Jun 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 12, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda (18) in the sixth inning of the game Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda (18) in the sixth inning of the game Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

A Reliable Number Three: Kenta Maeda

If you would have thought that Kenta Maeda would have led the Los Angeles Dodgers in innings pitched in 2016, everyone would have called you crazy. This is mainly due to Clayton Kershaw’s injury. However, pitchers from Japan, and even Korea, usually aren’t as durable and cannot hold up as long as MLB pitchers because of the difference in workloads. He started 32 games and threw for 175.2 innings. You’d want to see the innings a bit higher, since he pretty much started every fifth day, but you can’t complain with the consistency and reliability he provided.

He started to slow down towards the end of the season, so Los Angeles is hoping that he can build up enough strength and stamina to stay strong, especially if they can make the playoffs again. Maeda will not be relied upon to carry the rotation, as he seemed to have done at different points throughout the 2016 season, so the pressure will not be there. He can do what he is best served doing: being an excellent mid-rotation arm. It is fair to say that he is one of the better number threes around baseball and that will only become more clear if he can take the next step.

As he becomes more adjusted and starts to enter his prime, expect his performance to replicate that. With all the offseason adjustments he’ll be making, he’ll to make the Los Angeles Dodgers’ trio one of the best.

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