Clayton Kershaw anchors Dodgers' star-studded roster

As the 2017 fantasy baseball season approaches, we take a look at the biggest news and story lines from each club. We'll feature one team each weekday ... and we'll finish up on Feb. 15, the first day all teams will have their pitchers and catchers on the field for workouts.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won four consecutive division titles, but have fallen short of reaching the World Series each year. However, there's been no rush to shake up something that's worked so well -- other than a change in managers last offseason. They still have the best pitcher in the game and one of the best young hitters, so there's a lot to like.

2016 at a glance

Record: 91-71 (1st in NL West)
Hitting: 14th (4.48 R/G)
Pitching: 5th (3.70 ERA)

Arrivals

2B Logan Forsythe
1B Darin Ruf

After engaging in extensive trade talks with the Minnesota Twins for 2B Brian Dozier that ultimately fell through, the Dodgers went in a different direction to fill their biggest offseason need. Forsythe is a solid hitter who slugged a career-high 20 homers last season. He should thrive as perhaps the top candidate for the Dodgers' leadoff spot.

1B Adrian Gonzalez struggled against left-handed pitchers in 2016, so Ruf will spell him on occasion. That should ultimately help Gonzalez put up better stats, even with fewer at-bats.

Players to watch

SP Clayton Kershaw
SS Corey Seager
SP Rich Hill

Kershaw was sidelined for two months by a back injury, but still put up ridiculously good numbers (12-4, 1.69 ERA, 172 K) in 149 innings.

In his first full MLB season, Seager performed like an MVP contender with 26 homers, 105 runs and a .512 slugging percentage. He's a borderline first-round pick in mixed leagues.

Hill has dealt with injury issues throughout his up-and-down career. But when he was healthy last year, he was outstanding (12-5, 2.12 ERA, 10.5 K/9). For fantasy owners, don't think of him as someone who won't give you a full season's worth of stats ... look at him as someone who can put up great stats in a roster spot that's supplemented by someone else you start if/when he's on the DL.

Sleepers

SP Julio Urias
OF Yasiel Puig

Urias is one of the best young pitching prospects around, reaching the majors last year at age 19. The Dodgers have been careful about his workload throughout his minor league career, so don't expect much more than 150 innings from him. (But they should be very good innings.)

Puig is such a wild card. He can be fantastic or he can be horrific. Last season was much more of the latter, but his raw talent is still there. With a full season under his belt as manager, can Dave Roberts find a way to unleash the Wild Horse? It's worth a late-round pick to find out.

Bullpen

Closer: Kenley Jansen
Next: Pedro Baez

With his great strikeout rate and frequently unhittable stuff, Jansen will be the No. 1 closer on most draft boards. The question will be whether or not the rest of the Dodger bullpen can hold the lead when Hill, Urias and other starters not named Kershaw exit in the fifth or sixth inning.

Position battles

Trayce Thompson had some fleeting moments of glory last season before injuries took their toll. However, he could find himself on the short side of a platoon with Andrew Toles. Veteran Scott Van Slyke is also in the picture, especially vs. left-handed pitching.

Prospects

1B Cody Bellinger

With top pitching prospect Jose De Leon traded to Tampa Bay for Forsythe, Bellinger gets to carry the mantle as the club's No. 1 farmhand. He brings some serious left-handed power to the table after hitting 30 homers at High-A as a 19-year-old and 23 more last season at Class AA. He should be ready to start in 2019 after Adrian Gonzalez's contract expires.

Projected batting order

1. 2B Logan Forsythe
2. SS Corey Seager
3. 3B Justin Turner
4. 1B Adrian Gonzalez
5. C Yasmani Grandal
6. CF Joc Pederson
7. RF Yasiel Puig
8. LF Andrew Toles/Trayce Thompson

Projected rotation

1. LHP Clayton Kershaw
2. LHP Rich Hill
3. RHP Kenta Maeda
4. LHP Scott Kazmir
5. LHP Julio Urias