Top Offseason Options for the Los Angeles Dodgers to Finish off Winter Plans

The Los Angeles Dodgers have nearly filled their roster. Their depth chart is balanced and complete, with multiple quality options at many positions. The biggest potential weakness is an injury in the middle infield, as Darwin Barney and Justin Turner are competent players but would be stretched too far if given extended playing time.

Pitching is the other element of roster building, and it is the only real remaining area for improvement. The Dodgers’ rotation is top-heavy but an injury risk, as Hyun-jin Ryu made just 26 starts last year, Brandon McCarthy made 30 starts for the first time last year and Brett Anderson hasn’t thrown 100 innings since 2010. This lack of dependability means that rotation depth is a necessity.

Even with the offseason additions of Joe Wieland and Mike Bolsinger, the Dodgers could still use extra arms. The idea that a team can never have too much pitching holds especially true when every option beyond the top four is unproven at the major league level. When added to the dismal performance of the 2014 bullpen (22nd in ERA), extra arms are a necessity.

Notes: Available free agents are courtesy of the MLB Trade Rumors list. Advanced statistics are courtesy of FanGraphs.

Chad Billingsley, RHP

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

This former Dodger would be worth an invite to spring training because of his relationship with the Dodgers and his low cost. A Ken Rosenthal report indicated that multiple teams have expressed interest in the righty, so there is some competition, but his injury history (two starts in two years) should make his price reasonable, and he would provide both a bullpen option and rotation depth.

Alexi Ogando, RHP

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Ogando is a similar story to Billingsley. He threw just 25 innings in 2014, so he too is recovering from injury, and he would fill the swing role of long-reliever/fifth starter. His career 89 FIP- (meaning he has been 11 percent better than league average) is indicative of his talent, and if he can remain on the mound, he would be a valuable asset.

Franklin Morales, LHP

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There are any number of other random right-handed swingmen that would fill in perfectly adequately, so at this point I will move on to Morales—an enigmatic lefty who has had some good seasons and some bad seasons.

Morales was a full-time starter for the first time last year, and it did not work. He posted a 5.42 ERA and a career-low strikeout rate (except 2008, when he made five appearances), but he has had some good moments. In 2011 and 2012, he posted ERAs better than league average. And at the very least, he has a career .296 OBP allowed to lefties, so he could be a situational lefty from the bullpen.

Carlos Villanueva, RHP

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Villanueva has been a solid, replacement-level pitcher for the last several years. He is not particularly good—career 4.26 ERA and 4.23 FIP—but he made both relief appearances and starts in his time with the Blue Jays and Cubs. If the Dodgers could get him on a cheap contract, they could make him the long man in the bullpen and let him fill in if/when McCarthy or Anderson miss time.

Casey Janssen, RHP

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Janssen is a reliever and therefore is not of the same type as everyone else on the list. However, the longer he lasts on the market, the more likely it is that he signs for a cheaper-than-expected price. Given the terrible performance of the bullpen last year, if Janssen is cheap, then he would be a solid upgrade.