Los Angeles Dodgers: Dave Roberts unsure if David Price will play in 2021

David Price hasn’t thrown a single meaningful pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers yet. And manager Dave Roberts isn’t sure 2021 will be any different.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won their first World Series title since 1988 this year, in large part thanks to the Mookie Betts and David Price trade. Unfortunately, only one of those players actually touched the field in 2020.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Price decided to opt out of the season. And apparently, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn’t know if he’ll be back for the 2021 season either.

Price’s presence wasn’t exactly missed in 2020. The Dodgers had the best pitching staff in all of baseball. They led the league in ERA, ERA+, and WHIP. They finished in the top three of strikeout-walk rate, home runs allowed, and FIP. They may have needed their bullpen more often than they would have preferred, but it’s hard to argue that Price’s inclusion on the roster could have drastically improved the team’s numbers.

But 2021 will be a different season. Ideally, it’ll be a full 162 game season. And no team can survive a 162 game season relying that heavily on their bullpen. Year after year, we see relievers absolutely gassed when the stakes are the highest. We saw it with the Tampa Bay Rays in the postseason this year after just a 60 game season.

For the Dodgers to return to the World Series in 2021, they’re going to need pitching depth. They need the world to start getting back to normal so that Price can return to the team safely and with a clear conscience. Who knows if the world will get to that point in time for the 2021 season. There are already rumblings about the season being pushed back to May.

But hopefully, the Covid-19 vaccine will be fully available to the public in time for a return to normalcy in baseball. If it is, the Los Angeles Dodgers will finally be able to reap the full rewards of the Mookie Betts and David Price trade.