Spring Training is over, and while it was fun, it’s time for the 2021 season to begin. The 2020 World Series Champions are on a mission to defend their title during what should be an exciting and memorable 162-game season. The purpose of this article is to drop five bold predictions. I promise not to be boring like how other publications may choose by playing it safe. These are five actual bold predictions, so let’s have some fun and would love for you guys to drop some comments on our social media and make some predictions if you’re up for it as well. Also make sure to listen to The Incline: Dodgers 2021 Team Preview wherever you may get your podcasts or YouTube.
Julio UrÃas is an All Star
Coming out of the gates firing, Julio UrÃas will make his first All Star team by having a first half to remember. He has looked locked in this Spring with a 1.69 ERA over 16 innings. As Roberts and a number of teammates have stated, UrÃas “appears to be in the best shape of his life.” Though we’ve seen dominance out of the bullpen, expect a breakout performance from the fourth man in the Dodgers starting rotation.
Corey Seager hits 35 home runs
Seager was dominant in 2020, and there were a couple reasons why. It starts with the talent, there’s a reason he was the Rookie of the Year and finished 3rd in MVP voting. Seager has the natural ability of getting the barrel on the ball and making hard contact. Second, he is finally at full health and attributed the long layoff before the start of last season to him getting back to form. 35 home runs may not seem like a lot in comparison to some of the other home run hitters on this team, but Seager’s career high in one season is 26, which is also the Dodgers franchise record for a shortstop in a single season.
Trevor Bauer doesn’t allow a single home run to Manny Machado
At first glance maybe this doesnt seem bold because Trevor Bauer is the reigning Cy Young. However Machado is 10-17 vs Bauer in the past with 4 home runs. Bauer recognizes Machado’s previous success and even called out the Padres for not starting Machado during a Spring Training matchup. Bauer flat out said on SportsNetLA, “This is my time, I’ll flip that script real quick.”
Corey Knebel becomes the Dodgers primary closer
The Brewers were ready to release this guy, but the Dodgers swooped in at the very last second to work out a trade, which was to the dismay to many teams hoping to put a claim in on the former All Star closer. Knebel appears to have returned to form this Spring by boasting a 1.23 ERA and 10 K’s over 7.1 IP. In 2017, Knebel had 39 saves and a 1.78 ERA. Mark Prior, his teammates, including his former Brewers teammate and current Dodger Jimmy Nelson all predict a big season out of him.
Dodgers don’t lose a single series to a NL West rival
They came up one series short in 2020 by dropping 2 of 3 to the Rockies in early September. Let’s go out with a bang by saying the Dodgers completely dominate the NL West by not losing a single series within their division throughout the 2021 season. The Rockies and Dbacks are bad. The Giants are mediocre, and as good as the Padres may look on paper, the Dodgers still run this division and like Justin Turner said, they’ll treat these Padres vs Dodgers games like it’s the World Series.
Author: Kevin Klein
Follow me on Twitter @Klein25