With the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaching, the Dodgers are drawing plenty of attention - but maybe not for the reason most people expected. Even with a familiar spot near the top of the National League West and obvious injury-related holes on the roster, Dave Roberts suggested the team may be leaning more toward subtracting than adding.
“I could almost argue that we’re sellers more than buyers,” Roberts told The California Post.
That’s a striking read on a club that has spent much of the season patching things together. Los Angeles has been hit hard by injuries again, and the list of missing pieces includes Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani in the rotation.
Snell has started a rehab assignment, while Glasnow is still restricted to throwing fastballs only in bullpen work. Ohtani’s status could become clearer if he tests his left knee off the mound this weekend.
Still, Roberts downplayed the idea that the Dodgers are desperate to chase outside help.
“Personally, I don’t see any glaring needs,” Roberts said. “I really don’t.”
Catcher is one area where the depth chart has been tested. Will Smith has been sidelined since the first week of June with neck trouble. The Dodgers originally expected a short absence after what was called neck stiffness, but his return date is still uncertain after he was shut down from baseball activities over the All-Star break.
Dalton Rushing has handled the starting role well enough in Smith’s absence, but the cushion behind him is thin. Eliezer Alfonzo and Chuckie Robinson have both struggled at the plate in limited chances as backup catchers.
Even if the Dodgers don’t pursue a major big-league upgrade, they are still expected to be active in a different way. Reports indicate the front office is focused on strengthening a farm system that has top-end talent but lacks depth across several spots. The target, according to those reports, is young talent with real upside rather than prospects who can help right away.
And if Los Angeles decides to move pieces out, it has options. The club could deal from areas of strength, including its surplus of outfield prospects and possibly Eric Lauer, to help reshape that system before the deadline.
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Dodgers Expected To Push Deadline Aggression Even Further
The Dodgers have spent years operating like a club that treats the trade deadline as a chance to fine-tune a contender, but rival executives now think this summer could be even more ambitious. According to reporting cited by USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Los Angeles is expected to keep pushing for major additions even with a roster already built to win, with the front office believed to be eyeing help across several spots rather than settling for a single move.
The list of possible needs is broad enough to tell you how high the bar is in Chavez Ravine: rotation help, bullpen depth, a catcher while Will Smith is out, second base and another outfielder all have been mentioned as areas the Dodgers could address. The bigger question is not whether they will be active, but how far they are willing to go in a market where their motivation is tied to one more historic run. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have Three Deadline Needs They Cant Ignore
The Dodgers deadline picture is starting to look less like a luxury-shopping trip and more like a roster maintenance job. Injuries and uneven production have left them with a few obvious pressure points, and the front office is already being pushed to think about help behind the plate, in the bullpen and on the left side of the pitching mix before the market gets too thin.
One name drawing attention is a familiar type of target: a catcher who can also give the lineup some needed balance against left-handed pitching while the club waits for its regular options to settle in. On the mound, the Dodgers are also weighing whether to add another right-handed arm with closing experience and a lefty who can help bridge the gap between the rotation and the late innings, which says plenty about how many different ways this roster can still be tested over the next few months. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Linked To Deadline Arm As Pitching Need Keeps Growing
The Dodgers are still looking for pitching help as the August 3 trade deadline approaches, and the need has only become more obvious with the way the staff has been stretched. One name being floated around the market is veteran right-hander Clay Holmes, whose availability gives Los Angeles another possible path to add depth without chasing the biggest arm on the board.
Holmes has barely pitched this season because of a fractured right fibula in mid-May, but he has started a rehab assignment and remains a flexible fit for a club that values options. If the Dodgers do get involved, the appeal is not just innings, but the kind of swing role that could matter in both the rotation and the bullpen once October planning starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]