3 Dodgers who need to take the next step in 2017
Pitching, hitting, and defense: the Los Angeles Dodgers have it all.
In acquiring Logan Forsythe from the Tampa Bay Rays, the Dodgers filled out their two biggest needs with one fell swoop; finding the missing middle infielder they desperately needed and a bat to hit from the right side.
Los Angeles also made the right - albeit pricey - move in holding on to their free agents, locking up starter Rich Hill, third baseman Justin Turner, and reliever Kenley Jansen for a combined $192 million.
But despite a flurry of offseason acquisitions, if the Dodgers hope to contend for that long-awaited World Series title, they'll also need three incumbent candidates to take that next step:
Corey Seager
Los Angeles' golden boy is another year older.
It's difficult to imagine a former consensus No.1 prospect thoroughly exceeding expectations, but that's exactly what Seager's done. He blew through the Dodgers' minor-league ranks and exploded onto the major-league scene in 2015, slashing .337/.425/.561 in the first 98 at-bats of his big-league career. It wasn't until the following season, however, that the shortstop exemplified his true value in the Dodgers' full-time lineup. The infielder slashed .308/.365/.512 over 157 games in 2016 while winning Rookie of the Year honors and even earning MVP considerations as a 22-year-old.
Asking more of Seager might be considered unfair at this point, but what the Dodgers ultimately need is more of the same. Prolonged yearly consistency is the only unknown in Seager's game, but if he brings it in 2017, it'll be more than enough for Los Angeles.
Yasiel Puig
An enigma of sorts, it's hard to know what to expect from Puig, but early indications look positive.
The right fielder was infamously demoted to Triple-A in August, thanks to bad clubhouse behavior and disappointing on-field performance, and the Dodgers were said to be exploring trades to ship the Cuban elsewhere. Los Angeles gave him another shot, however, as Puig returned to the Dodgers for the final 23 games of the season. He seemed to find his missing bat in the process, slashing .281/.338/.561 down the final stretch. More importantly, Puig seems to have put his off-field issues behind him, as Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said in January he had started to sense "real maturation" from the 26-year-old.
With a goal of securing his starting job in right field again, Puig looks to have regained his focus. If he can translate that mentality to his play, it could lead to standout performances not seen since his rookie days.
Julio Urias
Urias' first campaign in MLB didn't go as well as he might have hoped.
The promising Mexican hurler was called up to make his big-league debut on May 27 for the Dodgers, who had nearly half their starting rotation plagued by injury at the time. His first showing in the bigs wasn't exactly a memorable one, as he lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his debut, surrendering three earned runs and four walks against the New York Mets.
After posting a 4.69 ERA over his first nine starts (plus one relief appearance), Urias was sent back to Triple-A, but emerged a completely different pitcher when he was recalled Aug. 3.
Though he would pitch three more games out of the bullpen down the final stretch, his return to the rotation proved he could live up to the hype bestowed upon him since signing as an international free agent in 2012. The left-hander allowed just four earned runs in his final six starts (spanning 29 innings), and the Dodgers realized the southpaw was worth the wait.
With Clayton Kershaw representing a near-guaranteed win every five days, if Urias picks up where he left off during the second half of last season, the Dodgers' rotation may be devoid of any weak links.
(Photos courtesy Action Images)