Sources say that after Shohei Ohtani signed, the Dodgers are interested in Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Josh Hader.
The Dodgers’ big move this offseason was to sign Shohei Ohtani, but the team still needs to make other changes to improve its squad.
Because of how his deal is set up, Ohtani saved the team some money, which the Dodgers plan to spend on some big-name players.
Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated says that the Dodgers are interested in free agent players Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well as Josh Hader.
It is well known that Los Angeles is interested in Yamamoto, but the team is still not tied to Hader.
Yamamoto is a famous baseball player from Japan who has been available for a lot of money. The Yankees, Mets, Giants, or Red Sox are all said to be interested in him.
In his last three seasons in NPB, the 25-year-old had an ERA of less than 2.00, which helped him win repeatedly Pacific League MVP titles and the Eiji Sawamura award.
Hader, on the other hand, is the best closer out there. Before being traded for the Padres in July 2022, he spent most of his time with the Brewers.
It’s likely that the five-time All-Star will want a deal over $100 million. He had a 1.28 ERA, 33 saves, or 85 strikeouts in 61 games last year.
That being said, the Dodgers might not be able to keep the money they saved from Ohani’s deferred deal.
It was also said by Verducci that Ohtani’s contract includes text that says Los Angeles has to put the extra money into the team.
In 2024, Los Angeles will need a pitcher because Ohtani won’t be able to pitch all year and the team’s lineup is still very young. Adding Yamamoto, Hader, or both would be a good way to make Ohtani’s team stronger.
Even though they signed Shohei Ohtani to a record-setting deal, the Dodgers are still adding to their team.
Based on Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, the Dodgers are now looking to add pitchers. They are interested in signing Josh Hader along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
On top of that record-setting deal he signed, the two-way superstar is also helping Los Angeles reach their goal by postponing 97 percent of his monthly pay, which is something that has never been done before.
Yamamoto is now one of the most sought-after free agents, and Ohtani has agreed to terms on a new deal. A lot of teams want to sign the Japanese star, including the New York clubs along with the Dodgers.
A story from Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports MLB Insider said that the Dodgers had been “aggressively pursuing” Yamamoto and that the two teams would likely meet later this week.
Over the weekend, Jon Heyman of The Washington Post said that the Dodgers were still interested in a starter after they signed Ohtani. It makes sense to connect the Dodgers to Yamamoto since they need more than one starting pitcher.
However, giving Hader a big deal would come as a bit of a surprise given how full the Dodgers’ bullpen is Right now.
Hader was one of seven players, like Ohtani, who turned down the qualifying offer to participate in the 2024 season.
The Baltimore Orioles were interested in the left-hander, but they ended up signing Craig Kimbrel with a one-year deal with a 2025 option.
Since Félix Bautista will miss the whole season while healing from Tommy John surgery, Kimbrel is likely to become the Orioles’ closer.
That was his second season with the San Diego Padres. He went 2-2 with a 1.28 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and 33 saves within 38 chances. Hader is expected to do better than Kimbrel and will likely accept a multi-year deal as the best free agent relief pitcher.
Hader has been a closer for the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres over the last three years. Since September 2019, he hasn’t pitched over an inning in a single game.