The Dodgers’ deadline picture is sharpening fast, and the rotation is right at the center of it.
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t taken the mound since July 3, and Tuesday night he said he’s working through both a knee injury and a biceps issue. That leaves a hole at the top of the staff, and it’s hard to ignore with the deadline only days away.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Dodgers are “likely” the favorites to land Detroit Tigers starter Tarik Skubal if they decide to make a run at him. That possibility may have gotten a little more real after the Tigers lost to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, which could have been Skubal’s final outing in Detroit.
But Skubal isn’t going to be the only name drawing attention. If the Dodgers want a backup plan, they’ve already done some work on one.
The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Dodgers were one of seven teams scouting Mets pitcher Clay Holmes during his last minor league rehab start Tuesday. The other clubs in attendance were the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Holmes has been out since May after suffering a right fibula fracture. Before the injury, he was 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA in nine starts.
This season is also notable because it’s Holmes’ first full year as a starter in a nine-year MLB career. In 2025, he went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 33 games, including 31 starts, over 165.2 innings.
For the Dodgers, the appeal is obvious. They need help, and Holmes offers a possible fallback if Skubal winds up elsewhere.
Rosenthal also noted that the Dodgers can’t feel too comfortable about their current rotation shape, especially with Ohtani unavailable. Before injuries shifted him to hitting only, the right-hander was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA.
There are still questions around Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, too, as both work back from long IL stays. Snell and Glasnow each missed time last season before returning in time to be major postseason pieces for the Dodgers on the way to their second straight World Series title.
Glasnow was 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA in seven starts this year before back spasms sidelined him in May. Snell, meanwhile, made just one start before loose bodies in his elbow led to surgery, though he does bring two Cy Young Awards with him.
The Dodgers may still believe both will be fine. Even so, Holmes is the kind of name that makes sense as a Plan B while the club waits to see how the Skubal market plays out.
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