The Dodgers keep circling the Tarik Skubal market, and that alone has opened the door to a lot of roster speculation. One name that’s started to surface in that chatter is Eric Lauer, even though moving him would be a strange bit of business for Los Angeles.
Lauer has become a useful piece since joining the Dodgers, posting a 2.96 ERA in just under 53 innings pitched. He’s also headed for free agency after this season, which is why he fits the profile of a trade chip if the Dodgers decide they want to chase help elsewhere and replenish some of the prospect capital they’d spend in a deal with the Tigers.
That part of the logic is easy enough to follow. The Dodgers have still got several of the game’s best prospects, but recent penalties, free agency and international free-agent signings have made it clear they can’t lean on the draft alone to keep the system stocked. And with starting pitching always in demand, Lauer would draw interest.
But the baseball side of the equation gets messy fast.
If Shohei Ohtani is still lined up to be in the rotation come October, and Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are there too, it’s understandable why some would see Lauer as expendable. Add Skubal into that mix and the temptation to treat Lauer as a way to offset prospect losses gets even stronger.
The problem is that postseason pitching isn’t just about stacking names at the top of the rotation. Teams also need multiple bullpen arms who can handle bulk innings, and Lauer’s $4.4 million salary this season makes him an easy fit for that role. Trading him would mean giving up one of the cleaner ways to cover that need.
There’s also the health factor, and it’s hard to ignore. Counting on Snell, Glasnow and, sigh, Ohtani to all be healthy in October feels like a reach. Even Skubal hasn’t had the cleanest bills of health this season.
So yes, pitching demand around the league could push the Dodgers into a move they otherwise wouldn’t make. But unless they get overwhelmed, trading Lauer would be hard to justify. More likely, he remains a quiet X-factor for Los Angeles down the stretch.
In Other News...
Dodgers Fans Are Seeing Dalton Rushings Double Standard All Over Again
Dalton Rushing has continued to give the Dodgers a real spark at the plate while filling in for Will Smith, and that has helped keep his name in the mix even after some of the viral moments that once made him easy to talk about for reasons beyond baseball. He has looked comfortable in regular duty, and his July production has only strengthened the sense that the Dodgers may have something useful here as they wait on Smiths return.
That backdrop is why fans around the sport keep noticing the different standards young players get judged by, especially when another struggling hitter shows frustration in public. Jarren Duran, who has been mired in a rough season for Boston, drew attention for yelling and gesturing at a teammate after a fly ball against the Athletics, then tried to move past the scene while acknowledging his own struggles. For Dodgers observers, it is the kind of moment that naturally invites comparison, because Rushings steadier bat has kept him in a far more forgiving spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Got A Will Smith Update That Changes The Deadline Mood
Will Smiths absence has stretched longer than the Dodgers expected, but the latest read on his neck injury has at least given the club a clearer sense of where things stand. Smith has been dealing with an inflamed disc in his neck, and while he has stayed off the roster, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts have both said his recovery is moving in a positive direction. For a team that has leaned on depth all season, any sign of progress matters, especially at a position where rhythm and continuity are hard to replace.
In Smiths absence, Dalton Rushing and Eliezer Alfonzo have handled catching duties and helped keep the position afloat while the Dodgers wait for a more definite return date. The uncertainty is still part of the story, but the tone around Smith has shifted from concern to cautious optimism, which is enough to change how the deadline conversation feels around the club. A healthier Smith would alter the catching picture in a meaningful way, but for now the Dodgers are still left managing the gap and watching the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Legend Orel Hershiser Is Getting A Fitting LA Honor
Orel Hershiser is set for a distinctly Los Angeles honor this summer, with the former Dodgers ace receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the sports entertainment category during an Aug. 13 ceremony. It is the kind of tribute that fits Hershisers place in the citys baseball history, recognizing a pitcher whose name still carries real weight among Dodgers fans decades after his playing days.
The star will sit at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard, a location chosen with a nod to Hershisers scoreless innings streak and jersey number. Hershiser spent a long stretch with the Dodgers and built his legacy there, capped by a Cy Young Award and World Series MVP honors in 1988, and the Walk of Fame salute adds another permanent marker to a career already woven into Los Angeles sports lore. [Read more 🡒]