Yoshinobu Yamamoto Rumors: Dodgers Free Agent Pitching Targets Ranked, Who LA Will Sign and More

After another early playoff exit, and without a National League pennant to show for themselves since the shortened 2020 season, the Dodgers’ biggest overarching need became abundantly clear this year in the NLDS. The club needs pitching. Proven starters. No more question marks and “162 game arms” to get them enough coverage to make it through a long regular season.

This team needs a bona fide frontline arm or two next year.

Let’s all face the facts, Clayton Kershaw — for all of his accolades and accomplishments over the last 16 years — is no longer a game one starter. Yet, he was all the Dodgers had heading into this postseason run.

Now, Kershaw (and Bobby Miller for that matter) was far from the only problem the team had against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The bats also disappeared. The All-Star duo of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were non-factors in the series.

Was that an approach issue? Or did the “punch in the face” the team was dealt as Clayton Kershaw was rocked for 6 runs in Game 1 while recording just one out make the walls close in around the rest of the roster?

Whatever it was, it’s time to move forward and look to the offseason — an offseason that the Dodgers and Andrew Friedman need to win.

We took a deep dive into the free agent pitching market on a recent edition of “Dodgers Dougout” where Doug McKain broke down the team’s needs and how those could be filled this winter. Check out the conversation in the video player above or join the comments with Doug on YouTube here.

Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

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