"He-Man Master of the Universe against regular Joe" - MLB analyst's analogy of Dodgers vs. the MLB in light of Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott acquisitions

MLB: San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants - Source: Imagn — MLB analyst's analogy of Dodgers vs. the MLB in light of Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott acquisitions - Source: Imagn

The Los Angeles Dodgers became World Series favorites after signing high-profile names like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow last offseason. The NL West team delivered on the expectations by beating the New York Yankees for the World Series title in October.

Following a second World Series title in four years, the Dodgers, instead of resting on their laurels, strengthened with several additions in the offseason. Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki and All-Star closer Tanner Scott are the two latest pitchers to join the Dodgers over the last seven days.

Talking about the Dodgers' business in the offseason and roster strength, MLB analyst John Riley said on the "Lee Hacksaw Hamilton" podcast (6:00 onwards):

"We knew the Dodgers have money. We knew they were going to go after these players. The Dodgers have a completely different revenue stream and financial model than every other baseball team in the Major League. I'll tell you what it's like, when you knock down the arrogant, rich kid, or the bully on the schoolyard playground, then it feels good. And that's what's going to feel like, whenever there are those rare chances that the Dodgers can get knocked down a peg.

"It's not just David versus Goliath. It's like He-Man Master of the Universe against just a regular Joe. So, They said all along, 'Oh Padre fans, you're not going to get Roki Sasaki; we're gonna get him. Everyone wants to go Dodger Blue.' And they were right and that's the kick in the face of reality."

Dodgers could solidify rotation with another free agent signing

Although the Dodgers clinched the World Series title in October, it wasn't smooth sailing for the NL West team, especially in the pitching department. Injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw had the rotation under pressure in 2024.

But with the signing of Cy Young winner Blake Snell in the offseason and the arrival of Roki Sasaki, the starting rotation has strengthened further. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is also expected to join the rotation sometime next season, adding more depth.

The Dodgers could further solidify the rotation by bringing back veteran free agent Kershaw for the 2025 season. Despite his injury-riddled season last year, the Dodgers legend is keen on pitching for the team this year.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash