The Dodgers' offseason is off to a great start. They've signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, and have traded for ace starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays.
However, the front office still has some work left to do to get the team into a place of real contention. It's still early in the offseason, but the Dodgers can't sit on their hands. They need to be proactive in building out their roster the rest of the way.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes revealed the next item on his agenda after trading for Glasnow.
Landing Glasnow also meant sending out starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot in the deal. They didn't add depth to their rotation and are still on the hunt for more help.
L.A. has circled its focus onto Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 25-year-old right-hander would be a sizable upgrade to the rotation. Scouts view him as the best pitcher to come over from Japan — at least this season, if not ever — and would slot in as the Dodgers' front-line ace.
The team pulled out all the stops during its meeting with Yamamoto last week. Ohtani helped recruit his countryman to join the Dodgers, and it's believed that his presence in the meeting was significant.
Ohtani and Yamamoto know each other well from their time together with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Having Ohtani in the same clubhouse could ease Yamamoto's transition to the United States. Baseball's biggest-market teams are also in the running to sign Yamamoto, including some others with Japanese players already on their roster.
Even if they land Yamamoto, the Dodgers could still use another starter. The rotation lacks veterans with a long track record of eating innings. A free agent starter like Lucas Giolito would make sense.
Whomever the Dodgers add will make a direct impact on this club. After struggling to piece together a starting rotation last season, the front office seems determined to change the narrative in 2024.
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