The Dodgers may be staring at a trade deadline that looks a lot different than the one many expected a few months ago.
For much of the season, Los Angeles was viewed as the favorite to land Tarik Skubal. But with the deadline getting closer, there’s a growing sense the Dodgers may not want to pay top prospect capital for a rental starter, even one as appealing as Skubal. If that’s the case, Andrew Friedman and company may have to get creative - and the New York Mets could be part of the answer.
The Mets are expected to sell, and Freddy Peralta is among their top trade chips. Still, the more realistic Dodgers target may be Clay Holmes. Talkin’ Baseball recently highlighted Holmes as the kind of outside-the-box move that could make sense for a team looking to upgrade its pitching without going all-in on the priciest option.
Holmes opened the 2026 season looking like one of the best starters in the National League. In nine starts, he posted a 2.39 ERA and struck out just under 21% of the hitters he faced. Then came the fracture in his fibula in May, which put the rest of his season in doubt.
There’s at least some good news now. Holmes is expected back before September, and he has already resumed his throwing program.
A minor-league rehab assignment could come within the next week or two, which is exactly the kind of development that tends to get rival clubs interested. Holmes also has a player option for 2027, adding another layer to his value.
For the Dodgers, the fit is easy to see. Holmes could begin in the rotation and then shift into a high-leverage bullpen role if Los Angeles reaches October with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow healthy. That kind of flexibility matters, especially if the Dodgers decide Skubal is off the table.
If the big swing isn’t there, Holmes looks like a strong alternative. He would cost less, and he gives the Dodgers a way to strengthen their pitching staff without boxing themselves into one role or one plan.
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