However, injuries limited him to just 26 starts. The reliable, finesse pitcher showed improvement by increasing his strikeout rate and lowering his walk rate last year. Korean left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu returns as the No. The question facing the Dodgers is whether or not to lock Greinke up with an extension before he can opt out at the end of the season. Greinke is set to make $23 million in 2015, the third season of his six-year deal. The right-hander will look to build on the success of last season, when he won a career-high 17 games and also reached the 200-strikeout plateau. Greinke would probably be an ace on most other teams, so the Dodgers are glad to have him back as their No. He struck out 239 batters while walking only 31 in 198 innings, and he also reeled off a 41-inning scoreless streak plus a no-hitter. The southpaw turned in a 21-3 record to go along with a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts last season, leading the majors in ERA for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season. Two hiccups during last season's NLDS aren't going to change that fact. Kershaw is quite simply the best pitcher on the planet. The Dodgers' starting rotation in 2015 is likely to once again be among the best in the National League, beginning with the lethal one-two punch of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke at the top. Here's an early look at the projected 25-man roster that manager Don Mattingly will lead into battle on Opening Day 2015. This year's relief corps features a combination of wily veterans, young hopefuls and a few guys who have been brought in to see if the move to a pitcher's park like Dodger Stadium may induce some value potentially lying dormant within them. Last season, the Dodgers were doomed by an ineffective bullpen headlined by former closers (Brian Wilson and Chris Perez) who consistently put the "has" in has-been. While trading away a slugger like Matt Kemp may dent the offense, the team has put a premium on defense with the new double-play combination of Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick rounding out the infield alongside returners Adrian Gonzalez and Juan Uribe at the corners. Trotting out the reigning National League MVP and two-time defending Cy Young Award winner tends to legitimize a team's chances, so the Dodgers will certainly benefit from having Clayton Kershaw on their side. The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2015 season with a roster full of new faces, but the particular collection of players is still capable of advancing to the postseason for a third consecutive year.
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