The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the season with as much hype as any team in recent memory following a busy offseason headlined by the additions of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

They are playing well, but have not been the juggernaut many were expecting, and much of that has to do with the fact that they are still waiting on several key pitchers to get healthy.

In the meantime, Yamamoto has made an immediate impact as a frontline-caliber starter, while rookie Landon Knack has also been a bright spot at the back of the rotation. Offensively, rookie slugger Andy Pages has settled in nicely as the primary right fielder since he was called up from Triple-A.

But are their strong starts for real?

Ahead, we have given our take on whether to buy or sell those early performances based on track records and advanced metrics.

RHP Landon Knack

A second-round pick in the 2020 draft, Landon Knack posted a 2.51 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 100.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season to emerge as one of the top young pitchers in the Dodgers organization.

The 26-year-old began the year as the No. 11 prospect in a deep Dodgers system, and a long list of injuries opened the door for him to fill a spot in the MLB rotation.

Over his first three starts in the big leagues, he has posted a 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in 16 innings, and he allowed just one run over five strong innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

His poor batted-ball numbers and a 5.54 FIP suggests he has pitched over his head a bit, but the Dodgers really only need him to hold down the fort until some of their veteran arms get healthy.

Buy or Sell: Sell

OF Andy Pages

Outfielder Andy Pages established himself as a top-tier prospect during the 2021 season when he posted a .933 OPS with 31 home runs in 120 games as High-A during his age-20 season.

He might have made his MLB debut last season if not for a torn labrum in his left shoulder that limited him to 34 games, and he hit .371/.452/.694 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 15 games at Triple-A before he was called up on April 16.

Through 13 games, he is hitting .300/.327/.520 for a 136 OPS+ with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBI, and the Dodgers have given him everyday at-bats between right field and center field.

The 23-year-old has legitimate 60-grade power, and while there will always be some swing-and-miss to his game, he has the potential to be the team's next homegrown offensive star.

Buy or Sell: Buy

RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The Dodgers paid a steep price to add Japanese League star Yoshinobu Yamamoto during the offseason, signing him to a 12-year, $365 million deal after he won his third straight Eiji Sawamura Award in 2023.

The 25-year-old recorded just three outs in his MLB debut against the San Diego Padres in the Seoul Series, but he has been rolling since making his stateside debut.

Over his last five starts, he has a 2.00 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a 35-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 innings, and he should be one of the front-runners for NL Rookie of the Year honors throughout the season.

With Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin all sidelined, Yamamoto's contributions have been huge.

Buy or Sell: Buy