Dodgers rotation is still weaker
Shohei Ohtani will only serve as a DH next season and perhaps even some left field according to manager Dave Roberts. With him only being able to hit, that takes a little bit of value away from him in 2024. As things stand right now, he can return to the mound in 2025 but who says there won't be any setbacks?
Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a 12 year/ $325 million contract without pitching a single game in the MLB. Now obviously, we have seen success can translate and any time a pitcher has a sub 2.00 ERA at any professional level it is impressive but there is still a lot of pressure.
Putting Yamamoto in a market like the Dodgers where fans expect a World Series title immediatley could be intimidating for some. This could be the enviornment Yamamoto was looking for and he may thrive in it. However, there is also the possibility that if he is not as great as fans want him to be, he could fold under the pressure of the Hollywood lights.
The Dodgers starting rotation that just added Tyler Glasnow and Yamamoto has improved but is still weakened. Clayton Kershaw is a free agent and one would think the Dodgers would have already signed him if they wanted to keep him. So outside of Glasnow and Yamamoto the rest of the rotation is still a huge question mark for L.A. going into next season.