PHOENIX —
As the Dodgers remade their starting rotation this winter, aggressively splashing money on a position group that had faltered the last two postseasons, they compiled their staff with a best-case scenario in mind:
— That Yoshinobu Yamamoto will live up to his billing as the highest-paid pitcher in Major League Baseball history, fooling hitters with his deceptive mechanics and overpowering arsenal to be a Cy Young Award candidate in his first season after coming over from Japan.
— That Tyler Glasnow will stay healthy and consistent, showcasing his highly touted repertoire over a full season for the first time in his injury-plagued career.