The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the month of April with a record of 16-13. It wasn't their best month by any means, but LA performed well despite being without important players at times during the month.
Overall, LA still looks like a playoff contender. They may not win 111 games like 2022, but this Dodgers team shouldn't be overlooked. Still, there is more uncertainty in 2023 than in past years. Without further ado, let's take a look at three key Dodgers takeaways from the first month of the 2023 MLB season.
Dodgers' lineup still features depth
One of the primary narratives heading into the 2023 season was that the Dodgers' lineup didn't feature enough depth behind Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Dodgers fans are aware of how talented Will Smith is, but he still tends to be underrated at times from a national standpoint.
The Dodgers have fortunately had a number of other players step up behind those aforementioned three stars.
Max Muncy finished the month with a team-leading 11 home runs. He's also getting on-base at a strong clip again, posting a .408 OPS through April. When Muncy is playing at his All-Star form, he offers plenty of power and on-base ability.
So far, so good for Muncy.
James Outman has been one of the best stories for the Dodgers in 2023. He broke camp with the team after not giving the ball club much of a choice following an outstanding spring training performance. Outman finishes the first month of 2023 slashing .292/.376/.615 with a .991 OPS and seven home runs.
The rest of the lineup hasn't lived up to expectations. Prospect Miguel Vargas has flashed signs of finding his footing at the big league level, and Jason Heyward is performing at a fairly respectable level. JD Martinez is striking out too much, but has enjoyed some good moments.
The Dodgers' lineup isn't as deep as last year, but it still is deeper than people expected heading into the 2023 campaign.
Dodgers' pitching has questions that need answers
The pitching for the Dodgers, however, has dealt with no shortage of question marks outside of Clayton Kershaw (more on him later).
Julio Urias is struggling at the moment following a strong start to the season. The Dodgers are hopeful he will figure things out and this isn't a sign of regression, but a 4.41 ERA to open the season is not very Urias-like. Nevertheless, LA is still confident in him.
Dustin May has dealt with inconsistency and walks in some of his starts, but he's been a bright spot for the most part. Michael Grove labored before being placed on the injured list, and the Noah Syndergaard experiment hasn't gone according to plan. The Dodgers are promoting one of their top pitching prospects in Gavin Stone, so perhaps he can help the Dodgers' rotation. Tony Gonsolin's injury return should also help matters.
Evan Phillips has pitched well out of the bullpen, turning in a 2.70 ERA and three saves to open the year. Dave Roberts has been hesitant to name a closer, but Phillips is likely the leading candidate.
For the most part, the rest of Los Angeles' bullpen has also performed well. The Dodgers' relief core has some questions, but is more stable than the rotation heading into May.
Clayton Kershaw is still a star
Finally, Clayton Kershaw deserves a takeaway of his own. The future Hall of Famer would be in the NL Cy Young conversation if the 2023 season ended today. He ended the month with a spectacular effort against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kershaw heads into May sporting a sparkling 1.89 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. He's also struck out 41 hitters and walked only five.
Some people around the MLB world questioned how Kershaw would perform in 2023. He has silenced the critics so far this season, and will aim to continue to lead the Dodgers moving forward.
All things considered, the Dodgers are off to a decent start in 2023. Sure, there are questions that need answers and the team endured ups and downs in April. This is a new group of players following the roster turnover during the offseason, but fans have reason to remain hopeful.
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