Once again Los Angeles shook the baseball world to its core by signing Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year $325 million contract. As a whole the team has spent well over $1 billion this offseason spread out over the next decade and surely doesn’t need adding more talent to their team, right? Unfortunately for many fans, the Dodgers are likely to still be on the prowl to add to their roster to plug every leak and hole they can. This begs the question, what else do they feel they need to do?

Acquire a Star Closer

The Dodgers bullpen wasn’t necessarily a weakness in 2023 as it was roughly ranked as one of the best in all of baseball last season. With a team as good as it is, the bullpen doesn’t end up with as many save opportunities as other teams, but they still converted 44 saves with Evan Phillips taking the bulk at 24 saves. They also ranked with the second-fewest blown saves and had the best fWAR in all of baseball for their relievers. So, when former general manager and current MLB insider Jim Bowden expressed the idea that fans shouldn’t be surprised to see the Dodgers pursue a trade for Emmanuel Clase, it only seemed more inevitable. It was reported earlier in the offseason that the Cleveland Guardians were shopping the idea of trading their star closer which acts as blood in the water to attract a team like the Dodgers. Clase had a down year by his terms, posting a 3.22 ERA but he still led the league in games finished and saves for the second year in a row, while striking out 64 against 16 walks. He remains one of the best closers in the game and is under contract through 2026 with team options for 2027 and 2028. A closer like Clase goes a long way to boost their chances in the playoffs.

Acquire Another Starting Pitcher

Even after acquiring Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers could still choose to acquire another mid-tier veteran starter to extend their rotation depth. They are likely fine to stick with their younger arms, but one more starter could enter the mix. Lucas Giolito remains a free agent and Dylan Cease is still a trade target among many others. The possibilities are endless for the Dodgers to add to their rotation. Their current options aren’t bad by any means, but the Dodgers are building for a playoff run and aren’t likely to leave anything to chance in their rotation. Do they need another starter, probably not, but do they want another starter? Absolutely.

Bolster the Bench

The team as a whole is already stacked with stars, but there are still fringe things to do position player-wise, particularly on the bench. At the moment, the bench is comprised as such:

• Austin Barnes (C)
• Miguel Rojas (INF)
• Miguel Vargas (INF/OF)
• Manuel Margot (OF)

The area of focus the Dodgers could choose to target is who will be the primary backup option behind Gavin Lux at shortstop. Rojas and Vargas both didn’t provide much offense with Rojas also struggling defensively at times. The team could aim to part ways with him to bring in a more reliable option as Lux eases his way back into regular playing time but in either circumstance, an upgrade over Rojas seems plausible. Vargas is young and therefore has the benefit of the doubt. Mookie Betts is slotted in as the second baseman for now, but should he be needed in the outfield, Vargas will find playing time. Margot on the other hand will find plenty of time in the outfield, especially as a right-handed compliment to Jason Heyward. As important as their regular starters will be, the Dodgers have to make sure the role players and substitutes are capable of stepping in and contributing.

At the end of the day, the Dodgers are likely to win their division once again and enter the playoffs as a top seed once again. Their moves are intended with the end goal in mind of avoiding an early exit in the postseason. Their ability to acquire players is a testament to their organization, but there are still 162 games to play and they have to hope that what they are doing now will pay off in the regular season and everything goes according to plan. In the meantime, they will continue to do whatever they feel is necessary to build their super team.