MLB analyst sounds alarm if Dodgers sign Roki Sasaki to rotation ft. Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and others

The pitching rotation of the title-defending Los Angeles Dodgers is looking like a death lineup. Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and recently acquired Blake Snell are expected to dominate teams up and down the order come next season. The biggest question now is, will the title-winners land the signature of NPB phenom Roki Sasaki.

In a recent episode of the "Diggin' Deep Podcast," hosted by former pros Eric Hosmer and Peter Moylan, analyst Rob Friedman warned the league about what to expect if Sasaki signs with the Dodgers.

"How do you play this team? What do you do against the Dodgers if they sign him? [In addition to Shohei Ohtani, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto], they have Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Dustin May," said Friedman. (36:00 onwards)

Friedman became famous as a content creator as the "Pitching Ninja." On his channel, he breaks down pitches by league players and sometimes even interviews them for tips and analyses of plays. When asked about Sasaki's arrival in the majors, he expressed his confidence in the fireballer.

"He can certainly be called the best prospect not playing in the majors. It would not surprise me at all if he takes the league by storm."

Shohei Ohtani's addition to the Dodgers rotation could spell disaster for the rest of the league

Some of the most dominant starting rotations in MLB history have left an imprint on the league. There was the 1998 Atlanta Braves, spearheaded by Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Jon Smoltz, whereas the 1966 Dodger squad boasted Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Don Sutton.

More recently, the 2019 Houston Astros had Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke. However, the 2025 Dodgers rotation could surpass the pitching crews on the list above.

"Whether they're the best pitching staff of all-time, we'll see, but it's definitely the filthiest staff of all time," Friedman said. "They would probably lead the majors in strikeouts per nine of all time."

At the moment, the pitching staff comprises of Cy Young winner Blake Snell, All-Star Tyler Glasnow, three-time Pacific League MVP and Japanese Triple Crown winner Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, and of course, reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani.

When healthy, Ohtani has proven to be a Cy Young-caliber arm. In 2022, he finished with a 15-9 record and a 2.33 ERA across 28 starts. This merited him a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting.

With the prospect of signing Roki Sasaki and Ohtani's return to pitching, the work has already been cut out for the teams who will attempt to deny the Dodgers of another title.