Dodgers Rumors: LA Looking to Trade For All-Star Starting Pitcher Ahead of Deadline

This move would bolster their rotation in a big way!

Two things can be true at the same time for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They're dramatically improving of late, having won five of their last six games and vaulting into a tie for first place in the NL West at the season's halfway point.

They'll also likely be in the market for a starting pitcher as the trade deadline approaches, as their rotation has been ravaged by injuries.

Four pitchers projected to be in the rotation to begin the season have dealt with varying injuries. Julio Urias recently returned, Clayton Kershaw is still out with shoulder soreness, Walker Buehler is trying to come back from Tommy John surgery, and Dustin May was ruled out for the season earlier this month.

Now there are actual legs behind that conventional wisdom, as the Dodgers are looking at a big name starter with the deadline less than three weeks away.

The Dodgers are interested in White Sox RHP Lucas Giolito, one of the top available pitchers, sources say.

Giolito, who went to high school in LA, has a 3.45 ERA this year. The Dodgers have an @MLB-best 9 of the industry’s top 100 prospects, per @MLBPipeline.@MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 13, 2023

The White Sox are likely going to be sellers at the deadline, given that they're eight games out of first place in a weak AL Central and even further behind in the wild card race.

Trading Giolito, who's set to become a free agent at the end of this season, makes sense for the still-rebuilding White Sox and the Dodgers have more than enough talent in their farm system to make a trade happen.

The thinking that LA should make a run at Chicago's ace has been circulating in recent months, and given Jon Morosi's report on Thursday that the Dodgers are interested, don't be surprised to see the front office try to make the big move this month.

If LA's able to acquire Giolito, it would give them the rotation stability that they'll need down the stretch and potentially in the postseason.

Rookie starters Emmet Sheehan and Bobby Miller have performed admirably since they were abruptly elevated to the big leagues, but getting a proven veteran in Giolito would be a significant step for the Dodgers as they get ready to try to make a deep run in October.