The Dodgers are already in a place most teams would love to be. They sit on top of the NL West, and by the standards of this season, they look like the kind of club that can win the World Series without lifting a finger at the trade deadline.
That’s what makes the chatter around them so interesting. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, multiple rival MLB executives think Los Angeles is aiming higher than simply standing pat. The word being used is “greedy,” and the idea is that the Dodgers are eyeing the chance to become the first National League team to win three straight World Series titles.
“Well, rival executives believe the Dodgers plan to be greedy, and are infatuated with the opportunity of becoming the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series championships,” Nightengale writes.
The thing is, the Dodgers don’t need to chase a major move to feel good about their roster. They already have enough to make a title run. But that hasn’t stopped the speculation about how aggressive they could get when the deadline arrives.
Pitching is the obvious place to start. A starter like Tarik Skubal would be a massive pickup for the rotation. The bullpen, too, could always use another arm, especially for a team that has dealt with bad injury luck on the pitching side in recent years.
There are other spots that could draw attention as well. With Will Smith out for a while because of injury, catcher becomes a possible target. Second base and another outfielder also fit as areas the Dodgers could explore this summer.
None of that is a requirement for a team with this much talent. But the Dodgers have the kind of roster that gives them room to be selective, and if they decide to push, they can go after just about anyone before the August 3 trade deadline.
If rival executives are right, Los Angeles may not be content with merely being the favorite. They may be looking to make themselves even harder to catch.
In Other News...
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 🡒]