One of the biggest differences between MLB and NPB, the top league in Japan, is the amount of rest days between starts for pitchers. Generally, in NPB, the starting pitcher takes the mound once a week. In MLB, pitchers...

One of the biggest differences between MLB and NPB, the top league in Japan, is the amount of rest days between starts for pitchers.

Generally, in NPB, the starting pitcher takes the mound once a week. In MLB, pitchers start every five days. Having signed Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers might need to adjust their rotation to accommodate them.

That adjustment may be smaller for the Dodgers than most teams. The Dodgers deployed 17 different starting pitchers last year for a few different reasons. Some, like Emmett Sheehan or Gavin Stone, were promoted from the minor leagues when another pitcher was injured. Others, like Caleb Ferguson or Alex Vesia, were used as openers, and another pitcher did the bulk of the work that day out of the bullpen.

Either way, the club is already used to being flexible with their starting pitchers. When asked about how they’ll approach the rotation with regards to days of rest, general manager Brandon Gomes emphasized the team’s historical approach:

“One thing we’ve done really well over the years is make sure our pitchers have enough rest. That’s something we’ll continue to talk about and make sure that everyone is in the best position to perform,” Gomes said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have depth to drop guys in when needed. It’s something we’ve done in the past. We’ll be nimble on that front.

If this means that Yamamoto will take the ball once a week, the club might prepare to do just that. After returning from injury in 2023, the Dodgers put Clayton Kershaw on a similar schedule. Kershaw even joked that he felt like a college pitcher since he only pitched once a week.

Kershaw was nursing a shoulder injury at the time. Although Yamamoto is reputedly healthy, the Dodgers want to keep it that way.

Gomes further talked about Yamamoto’s dedication and routine:

“I think being able to watch Yoshinobu pitch, his stuff is special. The command is something that I haven’t seen. It is up there with the upper echelon of guys I’ve seen command the baseball. There’s no question in our mind that his commitment and dedication, taking care of himself, that he will get in a good routine, and on that rotation schedule at some point. That’s something we can talk through more as a group.”

The organization’s flexibility paired with Yamamoto’s work ethic should create an ideal situation for the Dodgers’ rotation — even if it looks a bit unconventional in 2024. This appears to be a collaborative effort to find a schedule that works for the team and its ultimate goal of winning the World Series.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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