March 20, 2025, 09:45 AM PDT – The Los Angeles Dodgers kicked off their 2025 campaign in style, sweeping the Chicago Cubs in a two-game Tokyo Series at the Tokyo Dome, with wins of 5-2 on Tuesday and 6-3 on Wednesday. As the defending World Series champions bask in the glow of their Japanese triumph—highlighted by Shohei Ohtani’s 447-foot homer and rookie Roki Sasaki’s electrifying debut—their stateside return looms with a nagging issue: a surplus of starting pitching talent that’s both a blessing and a curse. With Opening Day against the San Diego Padres set for March 27 at Dodger Stadium, the team’s front office faces a roster crunch that could force tough decisions.

A Wealth of Arms

The Dodgers’ rotation is a juggernaut on paper. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the $325 million Japanese ace, dazzled in Game 1, tossing six innings of one-run ball. Sasaki, the 23-year-old phenom, debuted in Game 2, battling nerves to strike out three over three innings while touching 101 mph. Add in Tyler Glasnow, a 2024 standout with a 3.49 ERA over 134 innings, and the impending return of Clayton Kershaw (shoulder surgery recovery) and Shohei Ohtani (post-elbow surgery, targeting a 2026 mound return), and you’ve got a star-studded core.

But the depth doesn’t stop there. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, both sidelined for much of 2024 by injuries—May with an elbow issue, Gonsolin with a forearm strain—are nearing full health. May, with his triple-digit sinker, and Gonsolin, a 2022 All-Star, threw simulated games this spring, signaling readiness. Then there’s Walker Buehler, who rebounded from a rocky post-Tommy John 2023 to post a 3.91 ERA in 2024, and youngsters like Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan, who’ve shown flashes of brilliance. It’s a logjam that’s left analysts scratching their heads.

“What are they gonna do with all these guys? How are they going to pitch?” veteran MLB insider Ken Rosenthal mused on Foul Territory this week. “That might prompt them to do something at some point. You can’t stash Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin in Triple-A or the bullpen necessarily. I guess you could put May in the bullpen, but they’ve got a numbers problem.”

The Numbers Game

Rosenthal’s right—the Dodgers’ embarrassment of riches poses a logistical nightmare. A standard MLB rotation runs five starters, yet Los Angeles could field eight or nine viable options by midseason. The Japanese trio—Sasaki, Yamamoto, and eventually Ohtani—operates on a six-day rest schedule, a nod to their NPB roots and injury caution. That cadence, combined with the Dodgers’ history of pitcher fragility (Kershaw, Buehler, and May all missed chunks of 2024), complicates roster planning.

“You’ve got Yamamoto and Sasaki on every-six-day programs, if not more,” Rosenthal noted. “And their pitchers, let’s face it, have gotten hurt over the years. It’s been a repeated problem for them. So, they’re going to be reluctant to trade off their depth.” The 2024 season alone saw 15 Dodgers pitchers hit the injured list, a stark reminder of why GM Andrew Friedman hoards arms like a doomsday prepper.

Yet, the surplus could force action. May, 27, and Gonsolin, 30, are too talented for Triple-A stints—May’s career 3.10 ERA and Gonsolin’s 2.92 mark scream starter potential. The bullpen’s an option, especially for May’s high-octane stuff, but it’s already crowded with Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Joe Kelly. Stashing Miller or Sheehan in Triple-A risks stunting their growth, while Buehler’s $12 million 2025 option makes him a trade candidate despite his postseason pedigree.

“They’re looking at it and saying, ‘What are we doing here?’” Rosenthal continued. “They’ve gotta get something for some of these guys—give them an opportunity to play and give us an opportunity to maybe rework our organization in other ways.”

Trade Winds or Status Quo?

The Dodgers’ dilemma could spark a trade. Miller, with a 3.76 ERA in 2023 but a 5.21 mark in 2024, has drawn interest from pitching-starved teams like the Orioles and Reds. Buehler, a free agent after 2025, could fetch a haul from a contender like the Mets, who need rotation stability. Even May or Gonsolin—both under team control through 2026—might tempt rebuilding clubs seeking upside. In return, Los Angeles could target a lockdown reliever, a versatile infielder, or prospects to replenish a farm system thinned by blockbuster signings.

But Friedman’s track record suggests caution. The Dodgers weathered 2024’s injury storm with depth, clinching their 11th straight NL West title and a World Series crown. Trading a starter now, only to see another go down, could haunt them. “The numbers problem would indicate they’d have to entertain things,” Rosenthal said, “but they’re reluctant—and rightly so.”

Manager Dave Roberts, post-Tokyo, downplayed the issue with his usual calm. “It’s a good problem to have,” he told reporters Wednesday. “We’ll figure it out. These guys are pros—they’ll pitch when we need them.” Sasaki’s debut (three innings, one run, five walks) and Yamamoto’s efficiency hint at a six-man rotation to start, buying time until the inevitable IL stints shuffle the deck.

Opening Day Looms

As the Dodgers jet back from Japan, their March 27 opener looms as a litmus test. Glasnow is slated to start, with Yamamoto and Sasaki likely following against San Diego’s Yu Darvish and Dylan Cease—a clash of titans. May and Gonsolin could piggyback in relief, while Buehler and Miller wait in the wings. Kershaw’s midseason return and Ohtani’s 2026 pitching comeback only deepen the puzzle.

For now, the defending champs savor their 2-0 start—Ohtani’s homer, Sasaki’s heat, and a roster brimming with potential. But Rosenthal’s question lingers: What will they do with all these guys? The answer could shape not just Opening Day, but the Dodgers’ shot at a repeat title.