Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — And in other news….
While snagging Shohei Ohtani was the big news of this week, let’s not forget why the Dodgers got unceremoniously bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season — their below-average starting rotation that limped into the post season. In three straight games, the Dodgers’ lack of depth at that position was exposed in the worst way possible with painful-to-watch results. And, cool as the Ohtani signing was, he’s not going to be able to help in the rotation next season. That’s why in the short-term anyway, the deal being finalized with the Rays might end up being more impactful on the Dodgers’ chances in 2024.
Getting Tyler Glasnow comes with a price: the Dodgers are reportedly giving up Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Pepiot, two players that I like a lot. However, if the team gets a healthy and contributing Glasnow (big “if,” I know), they’re taking the first step in turning the rotation into one that can make a deep run in October. The sides have agreed on an extension for five years and $135 million, per a source, and the deal includes a $10 million signing bonus this year and has a $30 million club option for 2028. If the club declines it, Glasnow can exercise a $20 million player option. There is also no deferred money. The clubs have not confirmed the trade.
At his best, Glasnow has some of the best stuff in baseball. His best year was probably 2021, when he posted a 2.66 ERA over 14 starts. But that last part of the stat is the problem. Glasnow has had trouble completing an entire season. His career-high for innings pitched was last year, when he threw 120 innings. That’s not a lot when you have other guys like Walker Buehler on the staff that are going to need to be watched carefully as they return from injury. Clayton Kershaw might be a late season addition to the staff, but you can hardly count on that. Other starters are even further away: Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May figure to be out for much, if not all of 2024. And Julio Urias, well, the less said about him the better.
So that puts Buehler, Glasnow, and Bobby Miller at the top of the rotation for now. That leaves Michael Grove, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, and perhaps Landon Knack as farmhands who might be ready to join the rotation at some point next season. Glasnow’s former Rays teammate Ryan Yarbrough who could act as a swing man and eat some innings with some spot starts. But after that, the cupboard is pretty bare.
Feels like Andrew Friedman still has some work to do. Yamamoto anyone?
