Now that Yoshinobu Yamamoto has agreed to join Shohei Ohtani as Los Angeles Dodgers, the team faces the daunting task of rounding out the roster while dealing with the immense tax consequences of a huge payroll (see Next Step(s) for Dodgers).

Notwithstanding the tax consequences, there are immediate and future impacts to the roster. First order of business, opening a spot on the 40-man roster for Yamamoto.

Done Deal.

Not only was 33-year-old Dodgers free agent right-hander Shelby Miller signed by the Detroit Tigers on Friday afternoon, doing so immediately made his jersey number (18) available, the number that Yamamoto sported for most of his seven seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) League.

Right-handed pitcher Gus Varland or left hander Bryan Hudson could be DFA’d, but a trade seems like the better choice, perhaps sending a couple of players/prospects for another southpaw starter/reliever.

Will the Dodgers pay up to bring future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw back on a one-half year contract? The two-star Japanese pitchers are accustomed to pitching once a week. As such, will the Dodgers move to a regular six-man starting rotation to accommodate them while reducing the stress on the arms of Walker Buehler, Southern California native (Newhall) Tyler Glasnow, and possibly Kershaw? What impact will these pitching additions have on extending Walker Buehler beyond 2024?

You can never have too much pitching, but the 2025 Dodgers currently have starting pitchers Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Miller, Ohtani, and Yamamoto under team control. Buehler and Kershaw will be eligible for free agency after the 2024 season. The team’s top pitching prospects will be pressing for rotation spots: Nick Frasso, Landon Knack, Emmet Sheehan, and Gavin Stone. And there are more quality arms on the way for 2026 and beyond.

The next few days and weeks will be interesting to follow.

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