The Dodgers are expected to be active at the trade deadline, and pitching remains the obvious area to watch. Tarik Skubal has been the name most closely tied to Los Angeles, but if Detroit stays in the postseason mix or the price gets too steep, Andrew Friedman and the front office could look elsewhere.
One idea floated by Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report would send Baltimore left-hander Trevor Rogers to the Dodgers in a deal labeled “realistic.” The proposed return: left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder/first baseman Ryan Ward.
“Realistic Trade: Los Angeles Dodgers acquire LHP Trevor Rogers from Baltimore Orioles for LHP Jackson Ferris and OF/1B Ryan Ward,” Miller proposes.
On paper, adding a starter makes sense for a Dodgers club that has dealt with rotation injuries before. But the fit gets murkier once the names are attached to the package.
Ferris is one of the more intriguing arms in the Dodgers’ system. The 22-year-old lefty has turned heads in the minors, even if this season has been uneven with a 6.96 ERA in 14 starts. Still, his 3.86 ERA in 2025 and 3.20 ERA in 2024 show why there’s real belief in his upside.
Ward brings a different kind of value. At 28, he’s already shown he can help at the big-league level, and he’s posted a .738 OPS in 20 games and 55 at-bats for the Dodgers this season.
He also put up a .937 OPS in the minors last year and owns a .772 OPS this season. Even so, he’s the more movable piece because of his age.
The issue is Rogers himself. He’s sitting on a 4.48 ERA this season, and that makes the cost feel heavy for a rental.
Yes, he’s been excellent since the start of June, going 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 41.2 innings over seven starts. But the larger body of work still points to inconsistency.
That’s why moving Ferris and Ward for Rogers would be a hard sell. Those are two assets the Dodgers could use for longer-term help, or simply bring up themselves. Rogers may help, but probably not enough to justify that kind of price.
If Los Angeles is going to pay that much, Skubal is the bigger swing. If not, the Dodgers may be better off standing pat than paying a premium for a pitcher like Rogers.
In Other News...
Orioles Fans May Never Forget This Missed Chance At An Ace
The Orioles were in position at the 2024 trade deadline to chase the kind of frontline starter every contender covets, and Tarik Skubal was sitting right there as the obvious prize. Detroit never completed a deal, Baltimore never got its ace, and the missed window has only grown more frustrating as the pitching market keeps reminding teams how rare those chances are.
MLB Network Insider Jon Morosi has framed it as the kind of opportunity Baltimore may not get back, especially with Skubals name already surfacing again as the 2025 deadline draws closer. For an Orioles club that has spent the last year trying to balance present urgency with future value, the lingering question is whether the front office will be willing to pay the price this time around. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Mountcastle Just Became An Orioles Deadline Tension Point
Ryan Mountcastle is still working back from the 60-day injured list, and the Orioles at least have some clarity on the broad outline of his recovery. President of baseball operations Mike Elias said Mountcastle is progressing, with a return possible after the All-Star break, but he stopped short of putting a date on it. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, that leaves one of its more recognizable bats in a familiar holding pattern: close enough to matter, not quite close enough to know exactly where he fits.
The bigger question is what happens once he is ready. Baltimore has enough uncertainty around the roster that Mountcastles next step is not just about health, but about opportunity, and there is already a sense that the Orioles could listen if the right trade angle emerges before the Aug. 3 deadline. For now, the club is still waiting on the same thing everyone else is - a clearer picture of when he is back, and what role he would actually have when he gets there. [Read more 🡒]