Why The Dodgers Should Trade For Ryan Dempster Today
Trading for Ryan Dempster today would be fortuitous for the Dodgers.
Dempster could realistically join his new team (playing on the road in New York) by Saturday and replace the Dodgers’ weakest link in its rotation, Nathan Eovaldi (1-6) 4.33 ERA, who’s scheduled to start the series finale against the Mets on Sunday.
Dempster, of course, shut the Mets down two starts ago going five shutout innings on a limited pitch-count in his return from the 15-day DL recovering from a sore lat muscle.
Chad Billingsley, recovering from an inflamed right elbow, is scheduled to make his return from the 15-day DL against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Monday. This sets up a formidable threesome in the Dodgers rotation of Dempster, Billingsley & Clayton Kershaw (followed by Harang & Capuano).
The Sunday rotation spot also gives Dempster a favorable pitching schedule. He’d quickly be baptized into the always heated Dodgers vs. Giants rivalry in his next start at San Francisco before making his Dodgers home debut vs. Arizona, who Demps made quick work of over 6.0 shutout innings last Saturday at Wrigley Field.
The most appealing start, however, would be Dempster’s third outing with L.A.–a possible home game against none other than his former mates, the Cubs.
WHAT’S TAKING SO LONG?
