Los Angeles Dodgers additions and subtractions
Key additions: Matt Kemp, Scott Alexander
Newcomer to watch: Scott Alexander. Both of the Los Angeles Dodgers major acquisitions came via trade, but Alexander may be a very underrated part of the future.
Last season, in his first full season in the majors, Alexander proved he was ready. He became a key part of the Kansas City Royals bullpen down the stretch, posting a solid 2.48 ERA and a 1.304 WHiP. There was even some who thought that Alexander could become the Royals next closer, especially if Kelvin Herrera was traded.
Obviously, with the presence of Kenley Jansen in Los Angeles, Alexander would not need to close. However, he could be an important part of the bullpen equation, emerging as an option in the seventh or eighth inning. If nothing else, Alexander could be someone that could come in to kill a rally, given his lifetime 2.55 ground ball to fly ball rate. A pitcher like that can be extremely valuable for a contending team.
Biggest losses: Yu Darvish, Brandon Morrow, Brandon McCarthy, Scott Kazmir, Adrian Gonzalez, Curtis Ganderson
Biggest loss: Yu Darvish. Despite losing three starting pitchers, the Dodgers still have impressive depth in the rotation. However, they do not have anyone capable of replicating what Darvish brought to the table.
Darvish was certainly as advertised for Los Angeles during the regular season. In his nine games with the Dodgers, he posted a 3.44 ERA and a 1.148 WHiP, striking out 61 batters in 49.2 innings. Although his tenure ended on a sour note, as he took the loss in Game Seven of the World Series, Darvis performed admirably in the run to the postseason.
There are certainly options to replace Darvish. Rich Hill has been brilliant when he has been able to get on the mound. Hyun-jin Ryu has been a solid starter throughout his career. However, both pitchers have had problems with injuries during their careers. Even with their depth, the Los Angeles Dodgers may find replacing Yu Darvish to be difficult.