Notable Additions: Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler Glasnow
Notable Losses: JD Martinez, Lance Lynn, Amed Rosario
What an offseason the Dodgers had, huh? They signed James Paxton! And a couple of other guys. But in all seriousness, the Dodgers had a great offseason. They fell short in the NLDS again, losing to another division rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Now, with Glasnow, Yamamoto, Hernandez, and Ohtani, will it be enough to get them a World Series title?
Projected Starters
C: Will Smith
1B: Freddie Freeman
2B: Gavin Lux
3B: Max Muncy
SS: Mookie Betts
LF: Teoscar Hernandez
CF: James Outman
RF: Jason Heyward
DH: Shohei Ohtani
The hitting core for the Dodgers was fantastic before Ohtani and Hernandez. Losing JD Martinez hurts, but Ohtani is an excellent replacement. The Dodgers were 2nd in home runs and OPS as a team last year. Seven of the nine projected starters had an OPS of .790 or better. Betts, Freeman, and Ohtani had an OPS of .976 or better in 2023. Six of the nine had 20 or more home runs in 2023. Will Smith, Jason Heyward, and Gavin Lux were the only ones who didn’t have 20 or more. This Dodgers lineup is stacked, and I give them an easy 10/10 for hitting.
Projected Starting Rotation
Tyler Glasnow
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Bobby Miller
Clayton Kershaw
James Paxton
This staff should have no problem carving through the regular season. The Dodgers put together a very promising rotation headed by Glasnow and Yamamoto. Miller is a tremendous young piece, while Paxton and Kershaw are great veterans at the end of the rotation. This is a very solid pitching staff on paper. Still, Glasnow, Yamamoto, and Kershaw could be better postseason performers. Also, there is no Ohtani this year. I cannot give them more than a 7/10.
The Dodgers have a solid bullpen. Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson, Ryan Braiser, Joe Kelly, and Brusdar Graterol are all good pieces. Graterol is a good closer, but the Dodgers could use a lockdown closer like Josh Hader. Overall, I give their bullpen an 8/10.
Sock’s 2 X-Factors
Freddie Freeman: Freddie Freeman has been elite since signing with the Dodgers in 2022. The Future Hall of Famer is batting .328/.408/.540 with 50 home runs, 202 RBIs and a 160 WRC+. Last season, Freeman ranked in the 98th percentile for expected slugging percentage and expected on-base percentage, the 99th percentile for expected batting average, and the 100th percentile for sweet spot percentage. He is 34 years old and looks like he’s getting better with age. Freeman is elite.
Mookie Betts: Speaking of elite, Mookie Betts has been just as good since joining the Dodgers in 2020. In four seasons with the Dodgers, Betts has hit .283/.372/.539 with 113 home runs, 286 RBIs, and a 148 WRC+. His baseball-savant page looks even better than Freeman’s. His lowest percentile ranking is the 82nd, which is his barrel percentage. He doesn’t strike out a lot; he walks, and he hits everywhere. He is also a future Hall of Famer.
Sleeper: Bobby Miller: Before I tell you a little about Bobby Miller, you may wonder why Ohtani is not listed. I do not think he will be as impactful as Freeman and Betts this year. He is confined to the DH role and cannot pitch. I don’t think he’ll have as good of a year as usual while recovering from Tommy John. Now, onto Bobby. Bobby Miller is a 6’5″ pitcher with lights-out stuff and ranks in the 98th percentile for fastball velocity. In 2023, he put a 3.76 ERA with a 3.51 FIP and 119 strikeouts in 22 games pitched. At only 25, he looks to be a massive part of the Dodgers rotation moving forward.
Prospects to Look Forward To
Nick Frasso: The Dodgers still have top 100 prospects, and Nick Frasso is pretty good. He is 25, but he has excellent stuff. He throws around 94-97 and has a great changeup to fool hitters. He is 6’5″ and has a very deceptive delivery. If the Dodgers need a pitcher from their farm system in 2024, look out for Nick Frasso.
Josue De Paula: The 18-year-old has the potential to be a great Dodger outfielder. De Paula hit .284/.396/.372 in 2023. Yes, his on-base percentage was higher than his slugging percentage. He has a good eye for the plate and has spent all of the offseason working to add more power to his game. If successful, he will be a problem for the rest of Major League Baseball.
GM For a Day
To answer my question from earlier, will the Dodgers win the World Series in 2024? My answer is no. Their pitching is not strong enough this year. They need another splash signing to make them contenders while they wait for Ohtani and Buehler to recover from Tommy John Surgery. I think they should make a trade for Miami’s Jesus Luzardo. He has been fantastic for Miami, and they have plenty of good arms in their farm system to sacrifice him. Win, win for both sides.
Projected Finish: 101-61, 1st in the NL West, 2nd Seed in the NL
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