The Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitching staff heading into the 2025 MLB season is absolutely stacked. But one league insider believes that at some point during the summer, they will end up losing a specific star in their rotation.
The defending champion Dodgers already had an impressive roster last season. They had reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani and stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. However, during the offseason, Los Angeles expanded their bloated payroll further by signing two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell and All-Star closer Tanner Scott.
Their batting order is, arguably, the best in baseball. Yet there is a real chance they could have the best starting rotation in the game after the group battled injuries for much of 2024. Heading into the new season, their rotation will feature Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Japanese super-prospect Roki Sasaki, and Ohtani.
Furthermore, future Hall of Famer and team legend Clayton Kershaw will eventually give them a formidable six-man rotation once he returns from the injured list. However, SNY MLB insider John Harper believes there is a very good chance one top pitcher will eventually be forced out of the rotation in 2025.
Shohei Ohtani will eventually be removed from Los Angeles Dodgers rotation this summer?
“At some point, it’s just going to make too much sense for Ohtani and the LA Dodgers not to [have him pitch],” Harper wrote. “The Dodgers probably would prefer it right now. But they will bow to their superstar’s wish to resume pitching after Tommy John surgery in 2023. And maybe he’ll be successful as a starter.
“But if he’s not immediately dominant and there’s any sense his pitching is taking a toll on his offense, the pressure will mount on him to just hit home runs and steal bases,” he predicted. “The Dodgers, after all, have a loaded starting rotation without Ohtani. But they need his impact in their lineup to win another championship.”
If Ohtani isn’t pitching, it certainly changes the perspective of the value of his 10-year, $700 contract. However, after Juan Soto received $765 million this offseason to be an average outfielder and great hitter, maybe the Japanese star’s deal is fair value after winning NL MVP and leading them to a World Series title in year one.
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