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Dodgers 2015: Predicting The Opening Day Bullpen

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Middle-relief and Youth:

Pedro Baez – Baez was impressive in his rookie season last year, posting a 2.63 ERA in 24 innings, while striking out 18 and only walking five. His spring statistics look good (2.70 ERA in 6.2 innings), but the massive amount of competition might hinder his chances of making the Opening Day roster. Luckily, he still has options and wouldn’t have to clear waivers in order to remain in the organization.

Yimi Garcia – Garcia, like Baez, is coming off an impressive season and continues to impress at Camelback Ranch. As a September call-up in 2014, he posted a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings, striking out nine and only walking one.

His numbers from last season are almost identical to this spring (0 ER in 7.1 innings, 9-1 K/BB ratio), and at one point retired 18 of his last 19 batters faced.

Chris Hatcher – Hatcher, acquired in the Dee Gordon trade last December, is coming off a tremendous 2014 with the Miami Marlins in which he pitched to a 3.38 ERA and 2.56 FIP in 56 innings.

Unfortunately, he’s struggled mightily this spring, allowing six earned runs in 5.1 innings. Spring Training statistics have little-to-no-meaning, so it’s not the end of the world that he’s pitched this badly to this point.

A downside with Hatcher is that he’s out of minor-league options, so if the Dodgers decide he hasn’t pitched well enough to make the roster, another team will certainly claim him on waivers based on his statistics from last season and relatively cheap contract.

Paco Rodriguez – Rodriguez is an exceptional left-handed specialist when healthy, holding lefties to a .154/.229/.217 line in 159 career plate appearances. He has yet to give up a run in 6 innings this spring and is one of the few remaining left-handed relievers in camp, which automatically gives him an advantage to make the team over the others.

Honorable Mentions:

Daniel Coulombe and Adam Liberatore – While the two have pitched well this spring (both have yet to allow an earned run in 12.2 combined innings), the former has 4.1 career Major League innings to his name and the latter has yet to be promoted from Triple-A during his time in the Rays organization. It’s not far-fetched to see either one, if not both of these pitchers, called up during some point of the 2015 season, but for now, a little seasoning in Triple-A Oklahoma City can’t hurt.

Final Bullpen Predictions:

Long relief: Juan Nicasio
Middle relief: Yimi Garcia
Middle relief: Paco Rodriguez
Middle relief: Sergio Santos
Set-up: Chris Hatcher
Set-up: J.P. Howell
Closer: Joel Peralta

Baez has pitched well enough to be on the roster, but the dominance of Garcia and resurgence from Santos left him on the outside looking in.

Veterans like Aardsma, Adams, and McGowan could potentially contribute to the bullpen later on in 2015 if they accept an initial assignment to Triple-A, but that isn’t guaranteed, nor likely if they feel another team would immediately sign them.

Unlike previous seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers finally have a plethora of pitching depth, and that’s a really nice problem to have.

Dodgers 2015 Spring Training – Paco Rodriguez

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