Dodgers: MLB Expert Wouldn't Be "Surprised" If LA Trades Young Arms

Baseball prospects experts have lavished praise upon the Dodgers farm system this offseason. The Dodgers bevy of young, promising arms is a major reason why. Ryan Pepiot, Landon Knack, and Bobby Miller headline LA's young hurling stockpile. They could also serve as temporary fifth starters in the Dodgers currently thinner-than-usual starting rotation.

Or, the Dodgers could leverage their pitching prospect surplus to trade for a quality, established MLB starter. The Athletic's Keith Law commented on the prospect of the Dodgers trading some of their young arms this offseason.

“I would not be surprised at all to see a couple of these pitchers traded if the Dodgers they need something else at the major league level this year.”

Law also discussed the idea that Pepiot, Knack, or Miller could rotate through the final spot in the rotation in the first half of the season. That approach would allow the Dodgers to to get a look at their top-tier pitching prospects in big league action.

"Or maybe they go out and say, we’re going to roll with one of these kids as a fifth starter. We’ll just go through spring training and if someone really seems like he’s ready, we will roll out there with a fifth starter. We got have a few guys we can go through in that spot and if we need to trade for someone in June, we can do that too.”

Law previously ranked the Dodgers farm system as the best in the sport. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter ranked them fifth. Either way, the Dodgers prospect pool is elite.

LA can also stay out of the trade market and sign a free agent starter or two, like Clayton Kershaw and Zach Greinke.

Per usual, team president Andrew Friedman and GM Brandon Gomes have options on how to address their starting rotation.