It’s no secret that the Dodgers will be making an all-out attempt to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani this winter, but the team does have plenty of other needs across the roster as well. One of them being in the starting rotation, where LA really struggled last season.
The Dodgers are expected to be aggressive in their plans to build out the rotation, and it could see them abandon their normally conservative approach to free agency with pitchers. LA needs at least one top-of-the-line starter, and then one or two lower-tier guys.
MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic sees the Dodgers missing out in the Ohtani sweepstakes, but he has them landing a former All-Star pitching to front their rotation.
“Aaron Nola signs a five-year, $125 million deal with the Dodgers about 24 hours after they learn that they’ve lost out on Ohtani.”
Per Jim Bowden of The Athletic
Losing out on Ohtani would sting, but if the Dodgers were to pivot to land Nola, it would take the shock away a little bit. Nola has led the Phillies for years, and he has been great in the postseason for them.
He is exactly the type of pitcher that LA needs to go after this offseason, and he would instantly bolster their starting rotation. This past season, Nola posted an ERA of 4.46 in 32 starts, while striking out 202 batters in 192.2 innings of work.
This postseason, Nola posted an ERA of 2.35 in four starts for the Phillies. He was lights out when the lights shined brightest, and the Dodgers could use a starter like that.
He is only 30 years old as well, so there is plenty of time for him to stay in his prime. Plus, being around the Dodgers pitching staff could help Nola increase his already dominant stuff on the mound.
While Philadelphia likely wants to keep Nola, the Dodgers may not allow themselves to lose the bidding war if they lose out on Ohtani. LA knows that they seriously need to upgrade the rotation this winter, and landing Nola would do wonders for that.
Hopefully, the team can sign both Ohtani and a front-line starter to help the roster going forward. It’s about time that LA went all-in over an offseason, and this seems like the perfect chance for them to do just that.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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