"The team still could trade for another starting pitcher" - Dodgers could still add another ace after landing Yoshinobu Yamamoto, per Insider

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series favorites after acquiring pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The franchise already had one of the strongest lineups in the league, but needed to add some talent to their starting rotation that has suffered greatly over the last few years.

The LA Dodgers have committed $1.1 billion of guaranteed money to three players this offseason. This includes the bumper $700 million, 10-year deal of Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million contract and also a five-year contract extension for $136.5 million with Tyler Glasnow after he was traded from the Rays.

With the additions of three key pitching options for the future, the Dodgers look set to be the team to beat over the next few years. However, Shohei Ohtani doesn't start pitching until 2025 and there are a number of injuries that will keep out players like Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and even veteran Clayton Kershaw who is yet to sign a contract extension.

This leaves the 2024 rotation with five primary starters on Opening Day – Yamamoto, Glasnow, Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller. This has left Ken Rosenthal to speculate that the team could trade for one more player if they have the finances to do it:

“The team still could trade for another starting pitcher to go with Yamamoto, Glasnow, Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote. “They also might attempt to upgrade at shortstop.”

Dodgers unafraid of luxury tax threshold despite Yoshinobu Yamamoto signing

The LA Dodgers seem to have the best accountant in the world as even after some of the biggest free agent signings this season, their luxury tax figures are around the $220 million mark, lower than the $237 million threshold. This indeed has a lot to do with Shohei Ohtani's deferred $68 million money.

But even then projections note that after sucharge on exceeding the threshold, the team is expected to have a payroll of $284 million which means they are easily in line to sign one or two more players to big deals.