The Dodgers have lost another pitcher to injury, as Brandon McCarthy will need Tommy John surgery after being diagnosed with a torn UCL, ending his 2015 season. McCarthy joins Hyun-Jin Ryu, Joel Peralta, and Kenley Jansen, amongst Dodger pitchers on the disabled list.
McCarthy signed with the Dodgers in the offseason and through his first four starts, was 3-0 with 29 strikeouts in 23 innings but also held a 5.87 ERA. The injury shortens the Dodgers’ already thin rotation and it begs the question, what about Cole Hamels?
The Dodgers were already rumored to be in the Cole Hamels sweepstakes in the offseason, but the Phillies’ asking price for the star pitcher was rumored to be too high for them and every other team for that matter. Now though, the Dodgers’ rotation is less than stellar after Kershaw, Greinke and Ryu, who returns to the rotation in May.
The interesting thing about the Dodgers is the contract of Zack Greinke, who can opt out of his contract after this season. This doesn’t seem likely as he would earn $71 million over the next three years, but it is an option. The Dodgers would definitely be looking for another pitcher if he left. A trade for Hamels also wouldn’t just be a rental as he would be under team control until 2018 with a team option in 2019. This means he could be Greinke’s replacement.
The Phillies would likely want Corey Seager and Julio Arias, the Dodgers` top two prospects, for Hamels as they are trying to build a strong foundation for their future and they are doing the right thing by not settling for less. The Dodgers are built to win now and if they don’t win a world series in the next few years, it would be a disappointment. If the Dodgers think that Corey Seager will give them a better chance to win a world series and that he will contribute to the team soon, it is their choice.
The Dodgers are in a good place right now despite the McCarthy injury because they have a very strong offence and a good enough rotation. They have some very good prospects that give them options for the future as well. It is hard for the Dodgers to make a mistake in their situation and almost every team would trade places with them.
