Dodgers Must Add Additional Pitching in FA amid Shohei Ohtani Pursuit, MLB Rumors

Shohei Ohtani remains the No. 1 offseason target of the NL West-winning Los Angeles Dodgers, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported.

While it stands to reason that a world title contender would want to add the greatest two-way player in the history of Major League Baseball to its roster, the team's rotation was exposed in spectacular fashion during the playoffs, when they were swept out of the NLDS by division rivals and eventual league champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Adding Ohtani's 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 102 runs to an already explosive Dodgers offense that already accounted for 249 homers, 877 RBIs, and 906 runs would create an unstoppable force of nature that would, on paper, face little resistance on the way to a World Series berth.

But who would stop opposing pitchers?

The Dodgers were middle-of-the-pack in team ERA at 4.06 during the regular season but in the playoffs, were second-to-last at 6.58. Simply put, they were shellacked. Pitching let them down when they needed it the most and this offseason, a team that has always operated under the "next man up" philosophy must consider adding depth, be it starters or in the bullpen.

Blake Snell is a player the Dodgers know extremely well from their many intense, inter-divisional battles with the San Diego Padres and is coming off a Cy Young-worthy season in which he accumulated a 2.25 ERA while striking out 234 in 180 innings.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is one of the most talented pitchers in the sport and his performance for Team Japan and the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball league has him preparing to be one of the most coveted free agents this winter.

With an ERA of 1.16 and a WHIP of 0.860, it is not difficult to see why.

Both should be on the radars of team officials but the price tag may prove to be too costly. Beyond them are other solid hands, such as the Rangers' Jordan Montgomery, former White Sox and Angels hurler Lucas Giolito, Phillies ace Aaron Nola, and Twins star Sonny Gray.

Compounding things contractually is what is expected to be the largest contract in the history of professional baseball for Ohtani, who will provide depth at pitcher, but not before he returns to the mound in 2025 following arm surgery late this season.

Signing Ohtani in 2024 makes the Dodgers seemingly unstoppable offensively, but it will be whatever the team can piece together in the rotation and bullpen that will ultimately determine if they are a championship-caliber squad after spending entirely too many years falling short.