The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers won it all despite an untold number of injuries to their starting rotation.
By the end of the postseason, they were down Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a limited Walker Buehler, but that was enough.
Improving the rotation was a top priority entering this offseason, but even after signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year deal, the Dodgers may not be able to, as one analyst recently revealed what it would mean if they were able to land Japanese phenom Rocky To Sasaki.
“If he lands in Los Angeles … that’s absolutely the best rotation in all of baseball,” Gregg Amsinger said via MLB Network.
“If (Rocky Sasaki) lands in Los Angeles… – Greg Amsinger on the Dodgers pic.twitter.com/GwCVYuyjMW
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 21, 2024
It would be hard to argue against that point, as Sasaki will join a rotation that already includes Yamamoto, Snell and the potential return of multiple pitchers who finished 2024 on the injured list; Bobby Miller and Michael Grove.
Additionally, Shohei Ohtani could return to the mound as a two-way player after serving exclusively as a DH last season.
Sasaki has long been rumored to be a future Dodger because the team has such strong ties to Japan with Ohtani and Yamamoto, but it’s hard to see where the 23-year-old fits in given the depth the team has.
It’s also fair to wonder if Sasaki’s camp is questioning how often the Dodgers have seen their young pitchers need hand surgery.
Sasaki won’t be signing any time soon, but he has ace potential and would be a huge addition to any team lucky enough to land him.
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