Dodgers open spring coaching on Thursday in Arizona

Rome fell. The Titanic sank. Mike Tyson was knocked out by Buster Douglas.

Issues occur, and so they might occur to anybody or something.

Together with the Dodgers.

I wouldn’t guess on the Dodgers imploding in a possible three-peat season, however components for catastrophe are in place. Their beginning rotation is fragile. Their lineup is ageing. Their position-player depth isn’t what it was once.

The 2-time defending World Sequence champions might blow this, and so they realize it.

“We’re very conscious that there’s plenty of work that must be achieved,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.

Any nightmare season would begin with pitching.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow have been every wholesome within the World Sequence, however the actuality was that it was one of many few instances somebody of their rotation wasn’t sidelined with an damage.

Snell was out for 4 months with shoulder issues. Ohtani didn’t pitch his first sport till mid-June as a result of he was coming back from his second Tommy John process. Glasnow missed 2 ½ months with shoulder irritation.

The one member of their rotation who made every of his begins was Yamamoto.

The diminutive right-hander shouldered an enormous workload within the postseason.

He pitched two full video games. He pitched the ultimate 2 ⅔ innings in Recreation 7 of the World Sequence, simply someday after making a six-inning begin. The efficiency made it really feel like a on condition that Yamamoto might cruise via one other common season, however the actuality is that he has a checkered medical historical past as nicely.

In 2024, his first season within the majors, Yamamoto was sidelined for practically three months due to shoulder issues.

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Issues have already emerged, with Snell saying he’ll construct up his arm slowly this spring in order that his shoulder gained’t trouble him the best way it did final yr. Snell is true to take his time. The Dodgers want him in October. However him lacking time within the common season might additionally have an effect on the workforce, as an unhealthy rotation might have main penalties.

Injured pitchers consequence within the workforce masking begins with inexperienced arms that may’t be trusted to pitch deep into video games. The bullpen is compelled to select up the slack, and that’s what occurred final yr. The Dodgers topped the majors in innings pitched by their relievers.

Fatigued relievers shortly turn out to be ineffective relievers.

Working example: Tanner Scott.

The $72-million left-hander pitched in 21 of the Dodgers’ first 46 video games final season. He had a 1.74 earned-run common as much as that time. That quantity ballooned to six.44 over the rest of the common season.

The Dodgers’ bullpen earned-run common was Tenth-worst in baseball, which was indicative of one other downside.

With the postseason in thoughts, the Dodgers collected a gaggle of hard-throwing relievers who missed bats. Whereas pitchers like that might empty the tank every day over a three- or four-week playoff run, doing that over a six-month common season proved to be troublesome.

Perhaps throw in a low-octane arm that may take down a number of innings regularly?

The group has gained three championships within the final six years, and this era was marked by a delicate shift in the way it goes about constructing its groups.

A entrance workplace that after prioritized amount over high quality is now on the lookout for high quality over amount.

Andrew Friedman’s earlier groups featured a number of platoons.

Now? The batting order may change relying on whether or not the opposing pitcher is right- or left-handed, however their six or seven All-Star caliber gamers will likely be within the lineup every single day. 

The disparity in skill between the starters and reserves has elevated. Their World Sequence trophies point out that is the right method, however this type of roster is extra prone to be inconsistent within the common season.

Common-season troubles can result in postseason issues.

The Dodgers gained the Nationwide League West, however their 93 victories have been solely third-most within the league. As a result of they didn’t get a top-two seed within the NL, they didn’t have a first-round bye and needed to play a best-of-three sequence within the wild-card spherical. The Dodgers obliterated the Cincinnati Reds final yr, however what would occur this yr in the event that they run right into a workforce with two scorching pitchers?

Their season may very well be over in two blinks of a watch.

However the Dodgers’ best concern needs to be age. Freddie Freeman is 36. Max Muncy is 35, and Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez are 33.

Whereas Betts turned himself into top-of-the-line defensive shortstops within the NL final yr, he had the worst offensive season of his profession. Sturdiness has turn out to be a difficulty for each Muncy and Hernandez.

“There’s gotta be some adjustment to how they put together and the way they’re managed,” Roberts acknowledged.

The Dodgers nonetheless have three All-Stars within the primes of their careers in Ohtani, Kyle Tucker and Will Smith. They need to be capable to stand up to any age-inflicted downturn skilled by their veterans.

The guess right here is that the Titanic gained’t sink.

However it could.