Call to the pen
Fansided

Dodgers rumors of J.T. Realmuto interest could set the team very well

By Benjamin Chase

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: J.T. Realmuto #11 of the Miami Marlins bats against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: J.T. Realmuto #11 of the Miami Marlins bats against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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Dodgers rumors
DENVER – APRIL 26: Manager Joe Torre #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers puts pitcher Scott Elbert #57 into the game in the fifth inning replacing starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw as catcher Russell Martin #55 looks on against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 26, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies and defeated Dodgers 10-4. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Easing Kershaw

Many aces over the years have utilized their own personal catchers over the years. Greg Maddux was known for wanting to always utilize the team’s backup catcher as his own catcher. The Dodgers own ace has always seemed to perform better when he has a catcher that he can focus his work between starts with.

Clayton Kershaw broke into the major leagues in 2008, the same season that A.J. Ellis made his major league debut. Over his career, Ellis has caught over twice as many innings from Kershaw as any other catcher, catching 829 innings, with the next closest being 403 2/3 innings.

With Ellis behind the plate, Kershaw has tossed a 1.97 ERA with a 175/920 BB/K ratio. No other catcher with even 25 innings caught in Kershaw’s career has under a 2.00 ERA while behind the plate with him.

After Ellis left the Dodgers during the 2016 season, Kershaw has been using the primary catcher. That’s led to Yasmani Grandal being the #2 catcher on his innings log, with 403 2/3 innings caught. However, from his time previously with the team, Russell Martin is still third on Kershaw’s list, with 349 innings caught.

The recent acquisition of Russell Martin along with Austin Barnes could allow the Dodgers to dedicate one of their catchers to Kershaw for his starts if they also added Realmuto. Martin would be the logical choice.

After extending their left-handed ace for $93 million for the next three seasons this offseason, it would make sense that the Dodgers would set him up for success.

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