The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of getting Clayton Kershaw back, but they still need a lot of rotation help.
Dustin May has been a bit inconsistent in his career, and Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney are free agents.
Walker Buehler will be out in 2023, Trevor Bauer is suspended, and Tony Gonsolin is good, but somewhat injured prone.
The foundation is there with Julio Urias, Gonsolin, and Kershaw, but the Dodgers need at least three quality starters and more projects/depth pieces like Heaney and Anderson.
They have set their sights in the Japanese league, apparently.
Source: #Dodgers among teams showing interest in free agent Kodai Senga, who is now eligible to negotiate with @MLB teams,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
Source: #Dodgers among teams showing interest in free agent Kodai Senga, who is now eligible to negotiate with @MLB teams. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 11, 2022
The Dodgers have had success with Japanese pitchers in the past: Kenta Maeda, for example, comes to mind.
Senga Has Had Incredible Success In Japan
Now, they appear to be very interested in Senga.
The right-hander would be a great addition for any MLB staff.
In 144 innings with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Senga posted an incredible 1.94 ERA and an 11-6 record.
I have handed out 49 bases on balls and struck out 156 hitters.
His lifetime ERA in Japan is a brilliant 2.42, as he has consistently been one of the most consistent pitchers in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league.
Senga will turn 30 in late January, and he feels the moment to make the jump from a competitive league to the most competitive one in the world is now.
It’s important to point out that Senga can negotiate with MLB teams directly and is not subject to the traditional posting system.
He could be a nice top-of-the-rotation arm for the Dodgers if they complete his signing.
