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Greinke: Dodgers' depth might be 'best of all time'

Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will open their season with a considerably different lineup than the last one they fielded in 2015.

Zack Greinke, last year's Cy Young runner-up, bolted for the desert after the division-rival Diamondbacks signed him to a record-breaking contract. Manager Don Mattingly is out, new skipper Dave Roberts is in, and veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins is now a member of the White Sox. Even the pitchers that are returning aren't actually back: Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy remain injured and without timetables for their returns, and Brett Anderson is expected to miss the first half of the season after undergoing back surgery.

There's also the injuries to Andre Ethier, Howie Kendrick, Yasmani Grandal, and Alex Guerrero, none of whom will be in the lineup Monday when the Dodgers begin the year in San Diego. It's impressive, then, that despite their misfortunes, most experts still believe the Dodgers will make the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Even Greinke.

"Their depth is pretty amazing," Arizona's right-hander told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "Maybe the best of all time."

Greinke isn't pandering, either.

The Dodgers replaced Rollins with standout rookie Corey Seager, swapped Ethier for Carl Crawford in the starting lineup, and added Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda to bolster their ailing pitching staff. Greinke, who prior to A.J. Pollock's injury called Arizona's position players "maybe as good as anyone's in baseball," said he likes his new team's chances - so long as the Dodgers don't flex their big-budget muscles by acquiring more All-Stars.

"If L.A. goes out and trades for Sonny Gray and Nolan Arenado, it'll be a little tougher," Greinke said.

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