With just over two weeks to go until the July 30 trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit for starting pitching.
L.A. entered the season with a surplus of arms, but injuries to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Emmet Sheehan and Walker Buehler have forced the team to tap into their depth on several occasions. They’ve also had Dustin May, Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin on the injured list the entire season, as well.
Justin Wrobleski was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to make his first career MLB start on Sunday, while Landon Knack has also gotten his first big league action this season.
Since then, Tyler Glasnow has been placed on the injured list and Bobby Miller was sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City due to his poor season.
The lack of both options and talent has forced the Dodgers to be heavily involved in the starting pitching trade market, which is a position that shocked manager Dave Roberts.
“No, absolutely not,” Roberts answered when asked if he anticipated the club needing starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline.
“I think that one of the things that we’ve done a great job of, as far as putting together the roster and the depth is the pitching. And I remember thinking at one point we’re eight, nine deep, legitimate Major League starters, and we’re not right now.
“It’s baseball, but I think we’ve done a nice job of kind of weathering it, and some of guys have stepped up who’ve needed to.”
As it currently stands, the Dodgers rotation consists of James Paxton, Gavin Stone, Wrobleski and Knack. Top prospect River Ryan seems like another potential option to make his MLB debut soon, but he is also making his way back from an injury.
Glasnow is almost surley going to return, and it wouldn’t be crazy to bet on Miller figuring out his issues. It’s also possible that the team will get back Yamamoto and Buehler back in the second half, along with potentially Kershaw and/or May, but they would still benefit from adding another arm or two this month.
One name that has been linked to the Dodgers is Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander is easily the top starting pitcher on the trade market and has drawn widespread interest from teams.
A recent report suggested that the Dodgers made an offer for Crochet, but it was quickly turned down by the White Sox. Chicago is seeking a haul for the 25-year-old, who won’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season.
Dodgers reportedly looking for ‘impact’ pitcher
Given the current state of their rotation, the Dodgers are said to be looking for a top-tier starter ahead of the trade deadline.
With not many pitchers of that caliber available, the team will either have to meet the White Sox’s high asking price for Crochet or settle for a lesser option.
After Crochet, the next best starter that could be on the move is Jack Flaherty of the Detroit Tigers.
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