There isn't much argument that the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching rotation is the biggest question mark standing between them and a championship.
They added a front-of-the-rotation piece at the trade deadline by acquiring Jack Flaherty from the Detroit Tigers. Even that wasn't enough to ease concerns about the team's starters entering the final months of the 2024 season.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, they may be getting one of their best pitchers back from injury in the near future.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Saturday that Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a 20-pitch bullpen before the team's game against the Oakland Athletics. The results of the session were promising, and Yamamoto is primed to throw another bullpen on Tuesday.
This is a pretty significant step for Yamamoto who has missed nearly two months with a rotator cuff strain in his throwing shoulder. His return for the 2024 season wasn't a certainty, but the timing of this bullpen provides optimism he could rehab in time to make an impact for LA down the stretch.
Yamamoto was dominant in his rookie campaign before being taken out by a shoulder injury. He posted a 2.92 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 74 innings across 14 starts.
Getting that kind of pitcher back in a rotation with Flaherty, Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone would stabilize the Dodgers significantly heading into October. It would also help them minimize that sizable question mark that still looms over the pitching staff.
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