Bullpen Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers 2016

Bullpen Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers 2016

For the past three years the weakness of the Los Angeles Dodgers team has been the bullpen. It seemed at the winter meetings this would no longer be the case, with the Dodgers reportedly acquring Aroldis Chapman in a trade. It became concerning, fans and analysts began to wonder what exactly was holding this trade up as the deal was announced but not finalized.  More details came to light as the floodgates opened up and the public became aware of the acts of violence that Aroldis Chapman reportedly had been involved in. Chapman’s girlfriend told officers that he had choked her and pushed her against a wall, then proceeded to fire a handgun several times in their garage. This was the exact reason why the Dodgers had held up the trade and rightfully so, the team decided it would be in the organizations best interest to pass on trading for Chapman.

This left the team back at square one, with the same concerns about the bullpen once more. A trade for Chapman would of made a Dodgers bullpen that has been shaky at best, into one of the best bullpens in the league. With the 8th and 9th innings patrolled by Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman it would be catastrophic for teams trailing late in ball games. Not only this, Chris Hatcher would become the 7th inning man, which would seem to fit perfectly. Hatcher’s days in Los Angeles looked like they would be short after he started the year with an ERA above 5, but after Hatcher’s return from the 60-day DL, he came back like a new pitcher. Post DL his pitches were electric and his numbers showed improvement with a 3.69 ERA and a 45/13 K/BB ratio in 39 innings. hHe became the 8th inning man at the end of the year and into the playoffs and did not disappoint. A 7th, 8th, 9th headed by Hatcher, Chapman, and Jansen could have been something special, instead the Dodgers will have to continue to piece together a bullpen that leads to one of the best closers in baseball.

The Dodgers bullpen going into 2016 with the team they have constructed right now looks very similar to the one they had in 2015. The two subtractions from the Dodgers bullpen going into 2016 are Joel Peralta and Juan Nicasio; the addition to the bullpen is Joe Blanton, who was recently inked to a one-year 4 million dollar contract. Blanton pitched very well in 2015 with Royals and Pirates, totaling a 2.84 ERA between the two clubs. Blanton looks to be the long relief man going into the season, with the ability to join the rotation if injuries open up a spot.
Jose De Leon is an interesting name, he currently ranks 24th on MLB.com’s top 100 prospects list. De Leon is 23 years old and has put up impressive numbers in the minor leagues, with a low ERA and a high K/9. His stuff has increased drastically throughout pro ball, with his fastball sitting around 92-94 MPH, with reach back velocity of 96 MPH; his fastball is mentioned to have late life as well. De Leon’s secondary pitch is a devastating changeup and also posses a slider in the low to mid 80s that is effective, but can see improvement. De Leon is a player I do not believe will start the season in the major leagues, but is highly likely to join the team once rosters expand in September. He may also join the team sooner if the bullpen struggles and they believe he can have an immediate impact.

The Dodgers bullpen going into 2016 remains a concern, but with the front office showing just how creative they are the bullpen to start the season may be different than how it looks right now. With the Dodgers having so much young talent and abundance of riches, it remains unclear how they have not been able to solve the bullpen struggles. Will the Dodgers turn over a new leaf in 2016 and leave their bullpen problems in the past, or will 2016 be another year where the bullpen haunts them.

Chris Norman
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