Spring coaching is one thing baseball followers stay up for yearly, as a result of it brings us one step nearer to actual baseball. Generally, although, the previous couple of weeks of spring could be fairly uninteresting because the monotony of meaningless video games has us begging for the actual season to begin.
This yr, although, spring coaching for the Dodgers might be slightly extra attention-grabbing, just because there are such a lot of questions that must be answered. Let’s look particularly on the pitching facet and have a look at three pitchers to control this spring.
Noah Syndergaard
Syndergaard may be LA’s most fascinating storyline this spring. If he pitches like he did final yr, he’s a strong number-five starter they don’t thoughts bumping out of the rotation if and when one of many prospects is prepared for prime time. But when Los Angeles can assist Syndergaard regain his pre-Tommy John kind (and fastball), as he’s mentioned is his objective, he might be a game-changer. Your complete Dodgers rotation is filled with guys who, in the event that they pitch their finest, might get Cy Younger votes on the finish of the yr. It’s additionally full of men who, if issues go improper, might wrestle or spend a number of time watching from the injured listing.
Syndergaard form of encapsulates each ends of that spectrum, which makes him an enchanting storyline.
Dustin Might
Might got here again from Tommy John surgical procedure late final season and made six up-and-down begins earlier than being shut down due to a lower-back difficulty. After a full, wholesome offseason, Might ought to come into spring able to go, however how prepared he’s and the way keen Los Angeles is to throw him proper into the hearth each stay to be seen.
Might has by no means thrown greater than 56 innings in a big-league season. His profession excessive general is 141.1 innings in 2019 between Double-A, Triple-A, and the majors. With the shortened season in 2020 adopted by his injury-shortened seasons in 2021 and 2022, it looks like the Dodgers may wish to ease him again right into a full workload. What would that seem like? Effectively, that’s one thing we’ll begin to get a really feel for within the spring, which makes him one to look at.
Bobby Miller & Gavin Stone
Yeah, I do know, it’s dishonest to place two guys in a single spot, however Miller and Stone are in related conditions even when they’re not extraordinarily related pitchers. They’re at about the identical level of their minor-league development, and each are knocking on the door of the large leagues. Stone had extra success within the minors final yr, however Miller has the next expertise ceiling. Each ought to be able to make begins in Los Angeles this yr.
With query marks round Syndergaard and Might, amongst others, Miller and/or Stone might be referred to as into motion ahead of later. The Dodgers even have Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove out there for spot begins, however an enormous storyline this spring can be watching Miller and Stone compete in opposition to big-league expertise and attempting to get a really feel for a way prepared they’re.
There ought to be sufficient intrigue and suspense this spring to get us a lot of the manner via spring coaching earlier than we’re bored to tears and pleading for Opening Day to rush up and get right here.
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