He could be one of the few players in either league to win a Cy Young Award.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ No. 1 target in 2023-2024 free agency is Shohei Ohtani, 29. Of all the teams that want him, they have the best chance of actually landing him. The Angels are a World Series contender and call Los Angeles home, a city that Ohtani is familiar with. Most importantly, this is the team that could provide the most support for Ohtani.굿모닝토토 도메인
But Ohtani won’t be available in 2024. The Dodgers’ biggest weakness is their starting pitching. Clayton Kershaw is coming off shoulder surgery and will miss half a season even if he returns. Tony Gonsoli and Dustin May have Tommy John issues, and Julio Urias is out for good. Walker Buehler, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, will need to be an immediate starter alongside Bobby Miller.
That’s why they need to bring in a solid ace. AS USA dotted Blake Snell as the Dodgers’ No. 1 starting pitching target on Friday. Snell won the 2018 Cy Young Award with the Tampa Bay Rays and spent the last three years with the San Diego Padres.
In 32 games this season, he went 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA. Despite striking out a career-high 99 batters, his ERA was his lowest since 2018 (1.89), when he won the Cy Young Award. In 191 career major league games, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA. AS USA suggested he could be the first player to win the Cy Young in both leagues.
Another free agent pitcher the Dodgers could target is Kyle Hendricks. Surprisingly, outfielder Mark Canha was also mentioned as a possibility. Regardless of what the Dodgers actually do, AS USA did not mention Ryu Hyun-jin.
The Dodgers basically need to add a solid one-two punch. However, they also need to add depth to their starting rotation. In that regard, Ryu is a good candidate, but the Dodgers could plan on using prospects and call-ups to fill the four or five starting spots. In any case, after spending more than $500 million on Ohtani and acquiring an ace pitcher, their options will be limited.
Whether or not Ryu can return home to his family in his twilight years like Chan Ho Park, it’s unlikely the Dodgers are in a position to sign a fifth starter at this point. Their first priority should be to land Ohtani and then add an ace.