Dodgers nearing long-overdue rotation change after another Yamamoto masterpiece

Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named MLB's National League Pitcher of the Month for March and April on Friday in a no-brainer move for the league. But Yamamoto has, more accurately, been baseball's best pitcher through his first seven starts. His 0.90 ERA bests his American League counterpart Max Fried's 1.01, and his 0.93 WHIP edges Fried out by a fraction as well.

Through injuries or poor performance for the rest of the rotation, Yamamoto has only gotten better. During his latest start on Friday against the Braves, he refused to yield a hit until the bottom of the sixth, when Austin Riley doubled to break up the bid.

Since March 28, Yamamoto's fallen into a steady rhythm of pitching every Friday, matching what he used to do in NPB. The Dodgers have wanted to give all of their starters an extra day of rest, but the injuries that have taken the rotation down to four pitchers make that impossible, unless the Dodgers want to completely exhaust their bullpen and leave their relievers open for more injuries as well.

After Yamamoto's latest start, Dave Roberts confirmed the direction the Dodgers seemed to be trending in, noting, "There is a very good possibility that he goes a day shorter than he normally does."

Dodgers expect to start Yoshinobu Yamamoto without an extra day of rest going forward amidst LA's pitching injuries

Given all of the injuries that have already cropped up despite the Dodgers' extra-day strategy, it would be fair to worry that pushing Yamamoto harder would just lead him to the same conclusion faster. He already missed almost three months last season with a triceps issue.

But the Dodgers really have no other choice right now, and Yamamoto is sort of the pitcher they have to worry about the least. Roki Sasaki is brand new, and is even less used to pitching every five days than Yamamoto. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are both coming back from major surgeries. When Clayton Kershaw comes back, he'll have surgeries and age to contend with.

Blake Snell is scheduled to start throwing again, but will definitely need a rehab assignment, and Tyler Glasnow was shut down for 10-14 days on Thursday while they try to figure out exactly what's wrong with him. LA's bullpen has pitched the most innings of any in baseball, and were the first unit to throw 100; the team has already staged two bullpen games.

While it wouldn't be wrong for fans to be nervous about how Yamamoto will hold up, the Dodgers really have no other choice right now.