More than halfway through spring training and while the Los Angeles Dodgers 40-man roster is beginning to take shape, there remains a lingering question: what lefty will be joining Victor Gonzalez in the bullpen on opening day.
Currently, Gonzalez is the only left-handed reliever on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster who is trustworthy in high-leverage situations. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts confirmed this last week when he said that Gonzalez was going to be the go-to southpaw, but he remained tight-lipped about who might be joining him.
“I do see having more than one lefty. You always want to go with the best options regardless of handedness. But I do think that having another lefty alongside Victor is very likely for us.” ~Dave Roberts
The Dodgers have been taking a hard look at the remaining left-handed relief options on the 40-man roster including Garrett Cleavinger, Scott Alexander, and Alex Vesia. Amongst them, Cleavinger has looked the sharpest in spring training.
Vesia who was acquired in the trade that sent Dylan Floro to the Marlins was sent to the Dodgers minor-league camp Monday, leaving Cleavinger and Alexander. Los Angeles also has David Price as an option. Price who has been a starter for his entire career may be a wild card after sitting out all of last season due to the pandemic.
Dodgers Odds Impact
While bullpen depth is important, Los Angeles remains deep in terms of overall pitching. Gonzalez is a solid lefthander who will be counted on to pitch in highly leveraged situations. Live betting including in-game wagers should not see any adverse impact regardless of who ends up pitching behind Gonzalez.
World Series Odds
Los Angeles is still the favorite to win the 2021 World Series at +300. The implied probability of winning the World Series is 33.3% or 3/1 fractional odds. The New York Yankees (+550), followed by the San Diego Padres (+800), Chicago White Sox (+900), and the New York Mets (+1000) round out the top five.
In January the Dodgers opened at +350 but moved with to +300 when Justin Turner agreed to return and reigning Cy Young award winner Trevor Bauer signed in February. Turner has been a fixture in the Dodger’s lineup since 2014 and Bauer is coming off a career season in 2020 with a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts for the Cincinnati Reds.
At the very bottom of the list are the Texas Rangers (+15000), the Colorado Rockies (+15000), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (+25000).
