The Los Angeles Dodgers have nearly filled their roster. Their depth chart is balanced and complete, with multiple quality options at many positions. The biggest potential weakness is an injury in the middle infield, as Darwin Barney and Justin Turner are competent players but would be stretched too far if given extended playing time.
Pitching is the other element of roster building, and it is the only real remaining area for improvement. The Dodgers’ rotation is top-heavy but an injury risk, as Hyun-jin Ryu made just 26 starts last year, Brandon McCarthy made 30 starts for the first time last year and Brett Anderson hasn’t thrown 100 innings since 2010. This lack of dependability means that rotation depth is a necessity.
Even with the offseason additions of Joe Wieland and Mike Bolsinger, the Dodgers could still use extra arms. The idea that a team can never have too much pitching holds especially true when every option beyond the top four is unproven at the major league level. When added to the dismal performance of the 2014 bullpen (22nd in ERA), extra arms are a necessity.
Notes: Available free agents are courtesy of the MLB Trade Rumors list. Advanced statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs.
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