Dodgers Plan to Be All-In at MLB Trade Deadline, per Report
The Los Angeles Dodgers spent well over $1 billion to improve their roster this offseason. It seems they're not done adding yet.
A report from ESPN's Jeff Passan on Tuesday suggests the Dodgers expect to be all-in at Major League Baseball's trade deadline. A roster that includes Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler Glasnow and more could get even better over the next week.
The Dodgers have suffered a number of injuries to their pitching staff, with Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Yoshinobu Yamamoto all out for extended stretches. Glasnow and Kershaw should return this week, but there are still holes to be filled.
Passan suggests Los Angeles is expected to be in on every pitcher, with Chicago White Sox lefty Garrett Crochet, Detroit Tigers right Jack Flaherty and Texas Rangers righty Nathan Eovaldi mentioned specifically. The Dodgers are aiming for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal but the American League Cy Young favorite is considered unlikely to move.
On the offensive side of things, the Dodgers need to find outfield help. Other than Hernandez (.821 OPS), the team's outfielders have been a mess at the plate. Rookie Andy Pages has a .697 OPS and has only produced 0.4 WAR, James Outman has been stellar defensively but is slashing a woeful .153/.250/.258, and Chris Taylor is slashing .159/.273/.255 while posted -0.9 WAR.
Outfield help is available but it won't come cheap. Passan points to White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena as potential targets.
The Dodgers do have prospects to get a deal done. While Bobby Miller has struggled this season with an ERA of 8.07 in the big leagues, he has frontline starter stuff. Catcher Dalton Rushing, outfielder Josue De Paula, righties Nick Frasso, River Ryan and Kyle Hurt and catcher Diego Cartaya are all close to being major league ready and could be used to facilitate deals.
If the Dodgers are truly all-in this season, it wouldn't be surprising to see they move a number of top prospects for immediate help.