Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Due to injuries to both Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett, the Los Angeles Dodgers were in the running for starting pitchers this offseason. Well, after last night, the Dodgers may now be set regarding their starting rotation.
For the longest time now, the Dodgers have been rumored to be interested in trading the entire farm system for Tampa Bay Rays‘ David Price or signing Japanese starter Masahiro Tanaka, if not doing both. The Dodgers decided to finally make a move regarding the back-end of their starting rotation. However, it will not be either Price or Tanaka wearing Dodger blue next season. Instead, for the sum of $10+ million, Dan Haren will be coming to L.A. to pitch for the Dodgers.
At 33-years of age, Haren isn’t expected to blow anyone away with his stats or abilities, but with a solid offense behind him, Dan can easily end the season with double-digit victories. What more should be expected from a no. 4 in a pitching rotation?
Now for the fifth spot in the rotation, it’s likely a race between Billingsley and Beckett to see who can get healthy first. The odds are in Josh’s favor considering Chad is coming off of Tommy John surgery. Whichever one of the two who doesn’t earn the fifth spot will either be trade bait for a contender, or they will be stuck pitching out of the bullpen for the remaining year of their contract.
It wasn’t a flashy move for the Dodgers. After all the talk and hype, at least L.A. finally made a move in general.
Michael Pidgeon is a Los Angeles Dodgers writer for Rant Sports.com: “Like” him on Facebook, Follow him on Twitter @1AndOnlyPidgeon, add him to your network on Google or e-mail him at
