The Los Angeles Dodgers are making a major overhaul of their pitching staff. The Dodgers are reportedly looking to sign free-agent starter Shohei Ohtani and Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is coming to the majors on a posting system.

The Dodgers have been letting pitchers walk recently without exercising their options for next year. Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, Daniel Hudson, and Alex Reyes have all had their options picked up by the Dodgers.

The Dodgers opted not to exercise next year’s team option for Kelly, a member of the 2020 Dodgers’ World Series championship team, making $9.5 million next year, and parted ways with a $1 million buyout.

Lin will make $18 million next year, and the Dodgers will waive his option and pay him a $1 million buyout. Hudson had a team option for next year’s salary of $6.5 million and Reyes had a team option for next year’s salary of $3 million. The Dodgers did not exercise their options on them.

The only pitcher the Dodgers have exercised a team option on so far is Blake Treinen. “The Dodgers have exercised Blake Trinen’s team option for next year,” ESPN reported on July 7. However, his salary next year is expected to be a modest $1 million. That’s because Krynen underwent shoulder surgery last November and hasn’t pitched a game this year as he rehabbed.굿모닝토토 주소

After pitching five innings in just five games in 2022, Trinen was shut down by a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery. Trinen made a minor league rehab assignment in August and pitched 2⅓ innings in three games before being shut down for the season. In his career, Trinen has a 36-31 record with 79 saves and a 2.86 ERA in nine seasons. He has been with the Dodgers since the 2020 season, following stops in Washington and Oakland.

The Dodgers have been plagued by pitching injuries this season, with Julio Urias placed on administrative leave for domestic violence. While they managed to get through the regular season with minor league prospects, the pitching staff was decimated in the postseason with the bats going silent.

Rebuilding the pitching staff will be a top priority if they want to challenge for a World Series title next year. The Dodgers are targeting both Ohtani and Yamamoto.

Japanese media outlet Junichi Sports reported on Saturday that the Dodgers are the favorite to land Yamamoto, who is trying to break into the major leagues in the postseason. Dodgers president Andrew Friedman has made several trips to Japan. At the World Baseball Classic’s Miyazaki Camp in March, he even took a cell phone video of Yamamoto pitching from behind the bullpen.”

“While the Dodgers are prioritizing the signing of Ohtani, they are also looking to complete the Japanese-Japanese pitching double with Yamamoto, given their severe starting pitching shortage and deep pockets,” the outlet added.

According to Junichi Sports, a local Los Angeles reporter said, “The Dodgers like Yamamoto. The competition is the New York Yankees. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was on hand for Yamamoto’s no-hitter in September. The Yankees are also short on starters. “We’re definitely looking to add a big name in the offseason, and we’re pretty aggressive in our pursuit of Yamamoto.

The American media has Yamamoto ranked as the second-best prospect in free agency, behind only Ohtani. He is expected to command a contract worth up to $200 million due to his young age of 25 and his stellar performance in Japan.

“Star Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make an immediate impact on a major league team’s pitching staff,” Fox Sports said on July 7. According to MLB.com, “Yamamoto is currently ranked as the No. 2 free agent, behind Shohei Ohtani. At least eight teams have been linked to him.” 

Where Ohtani will be playing next year is the biggest question of the offseason. In addition to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox are among the eight teams bidding for the No. 1 free agent. All are big league clubs with deep pockets. The price tag for Ohtani has been mentioned as high as $500 million.

Ohtani, who broke into the majors in 2018, has appeared in 86 games as a pitcher so far this year, posting a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ERA. As a hitter, he has played in 701 games, batting .274 with 171 home runs, 437 RBI, 428 runs scored and 86 stolen bases. He was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2018 and American League MVP in 2021. This year, he became the first Japanese-American to lead the American League in home runs and is a favorite to win his second MVP award.