What’s Next for the Dodgers After the Yoshinobu Yamamoto Signing?

Believe it or not, even after signing the top two free agents this offseason to historic contracts, the Los Angeles Dodgers still have more work to do. Left field and starting pitching still remain positions of need for the club, and they do have options at both.

First, before any of this can happen, the front office needs to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Yamamoto. With the roster chock-full of top prospects and starters, it does not contain obvious DFA candidates. Creating an enticing trade package consisting of multiple prospects for another starter or outfielder would be a prudent move.

Outfield Need

Earlier this offseason, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shocked everyone by announcing that Mookie Betts would move to second base in an everyday role in 2024. By doing so, this created a vacuum in the outfield that the organization could not easily fill from within.

Whoever the front office finds to play left field,should bat right-handed. The projected 26-man roster currently has five left-handed bats expected to play every day. The organization has shown in the past they value balance in handedness, so they need to find a righty bat.

Prospects Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch could have competed this offseason to earn that second base role. However, now the Dodgers’ most major league-ready prospects have to learn an entirely new position if they want to see the field.

Who Could the Dodgers Add to the Outfield?

This positional tension causes many to speculate that Vargas or Busch could headline a trade package for another player. The Dodgers and Rays could come together once again to hammer out a trade for Randy Arozarena. The switch-hitting Dylan Carlson has come up through the rumor mills recently. He would be a bit of a project, but he’s young and has shown solid upside in the past.

Teoscar Hernandez was linked to the Dodgers earlier this offseason. He strikes out more than anyone in baseball and plays sub-par defense, but he also mashes home runs. The front office could eschew his strikeout rate in favor of one of the only everyday right-handed left-fielders.

A less volatile option would be signing Tommy Pham. After the World Series, reports came out that Pham wanted to join the Dodgers for the postseason, but that never materialized. He would go on to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks and punish the Dodgers thoroughly for not bringing him in.

Representing a cheaper option than Hernandez, Pham has fairly even splits against RHP and LHP. He does not have much pop but could fill a similar role as David Peralta did last year — play solid defense and give a quality at-bat.

Pitching Depth

A team can never have too much pitching. When entirely healthy, the Dodgers have arguably the best rotation in baseball. However, pitching injuries are a matter of “when” and not “if,” so the front office needs to acquire a durable pitcher that can eat innings.

Similar to the outfield dilemma, the rotation does not have a LHP on it. While not as big of an issue for starting pitching, it would be more than just a luxury to break up this string of RHP.

What Pitchers Could the Dodgers Still Add This Offseason?

Jordan Montgomery could be a valuable piece for this rotation. He’s left-handed, very durable, and put together a great postseason with the Rangers last year. The latter, however, will drive up his price significantly.

The front office could continue to acquire Japanese players by adding Shota Imanaga. Projected as a solid No. 3 or 4 starter, this LHP will not command as high a price as Montgomery. The Dodgers could possibly sign him for well less than $20 million a year.

RHP Lucas Giolito has also been heavily rumored to the club this offseason. He has All-Star upside and the front office could sign him on a short “prove-it” deal.

In an absolute dream scenario, the front office puts a trade package together for someone like Corbin Burnes, Dylan Cease, or Jesus Luzardo. Who needs pitching depth when the Dodgers could just acquire more top-end talent?

Of the three, keep an eye on Luzardo. A lefty with three years of team control, he sports an elite fastball that could make him a valuable bullpen piece in October.

All three of these pitchers would command a massive return, but the organization has the prospect capital to pull it off. Most importantly, these three have shown an ability to pitch significant innings in past seasons.

Bullpen Depth

The bullpen can also never have enough arms in it. However, right now, the bullpen is a bit crowded.

Recently, the Dodgers and LHP Josh Hader have been linked together. Easily the best reliever on the market, Hader has some of the filthiest stuff in the game.

Reports have come out saying Hader is looking to sign a larger contract than the five-year, $102 million contract the New York Mets gave Edwin Diaz last year. While he no doubt would upgrade the bullpen, doing so would go against a few patterns the organization has shown in the past.

Andrew Friedman tends to sign relievers on short deals for not a lot of money. The organization also routinely asks relievers to be flexible when they pitch and for how many outs they get. According to reports in 2023, Hader heavily prefers to only pitch in save situations and does not want to pitch more than three outs.

More than likely, the front office could bring back someone like Ryan Brasier. Picked up off waivers from the Boston Red Sox, Brasier quickly became the bullpen’s best arm. In 39 appearances, he gave up only three earned runs and walked just 10 batters.

As mentioned above, it’s full in the pen, so any move made could come at the cost of someone Dodgers fans are familiar with.

The Dodgers Aren’t Done Making Moves

The front office still has their work cut out for them. This team needs a right-handed left-fielder, one more starter, and a bullpen arm for good measure.

Signing Giolito, Pham, and Brasier would be more than adequate to address the roster’s needs. No reason to not dream big though, as trading for Arozarena or Burnes would just be comical at this point with the talent the front office has already amassed.

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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