The Dodgers are expected to be major players on the free agent market this winter in their attempt to upgrade their pitching staff. They were burned by injuries and poor performances last season, and it cost them in the playoffs.
One name that LA has a major interest in is Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was just recently posted to start negotiating with MLB teams. Yamamoto has front-line starter stuff on the mound, and he would instantly boost the Dodgers rotation.
There has been much speculation about what Yamamoto is looking for, with the thought that he prefers playing on the West Coast. However, the agent for Yamamoto did express that his client has a desire to play alongside other Japanese players, as well.
It remains to be seen if this helps or hurts the Dodgers chances of signing Yamamoto since they don’t currently have any Japanese players on their roster. But the team is heavily linked to Japanese two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani this winter.
If Yamamoto is waiting until after the winter meetings to sign with a team, he likely wants to see where Ohtani ends up signing. The Dodgers are the current frontrunners to sign Ohtani, but we also don’t know how Ohtani feels about playing alongside another Japanese star.
The priority for the Dodgers is Ohtani, and if they were to land him, it would be the biggest signing of the offseason. But if Ohtani is open to playing alongside someone like Yamamoto, the Dodgers would jump all over it.
There has been talk about LA trying to land both Ohtani and Yamamoto this offseason, and landing them would be a game-changer for the team. Hopefully, the Dodgers can get at least one of, if not, both Japanese stars to give themselves a solid chance to win the World Series next season and beyond.
Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
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