The Dodgers may not have an obvious hole, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting tied to one of the bigger names on the market as the Aug. 3 trade deadline nears.
Los Angeles was recently linked to Tigers All-Star Gleyber Torres by MLB insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, with the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardians listed as possible fits. Second base is the one spot in the Dodgers’ lineup that isn’t fully settled, which is why Torres makes sense on paper. Still, Tommy Edman is back and playing well, so a pursuit only really seems to gain traction if an injury creates a need.
Torres has missed the last few weeks with a left oblique strain, but he’s expected back soon. And if Detroit decides to start moving pieces, he looks like the kind of player who could draw plenty of attention. He’s been productive this season, hitting .280/.395/.395 with four home runs and 18 RBIs.
The appeal goes beyond the numbers. Torres has shown strong plate discipline, ranking in the 99th percentile in chase percentage. That kind of approach fits naturally with the way the Dodgers want their hitters to work at-bats and stay selective.
There’s also the matter of experience. Torres already has years of pressure-packed baseball behind him from his time with the New York Yankees, which only adds to his appeal if Los Angeles is looking for a player who can handle the spotlight.
The Dodgers have been connected to Torres before, and this could be the moment where the fit finally lines up. With the Tigers struggling, a fire sale around the roster is widely expected, and Torres could be part of it.
Los Angeles has also been heavily linked to Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, raising the possibility of a larger deal between the two clubs. Both Torres and Skubal are set to become free agents after the 2026 season, so Detroit may prefer to collect assets now rather than risk losing them later.
The Dodgers have the prospect capital to get something like that done. The only question is how aggressive they want to be.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Made One USC Staff Decision Fans Should Love
USCs defensive overhaul under Lincoln Riley came with the kind of staff reshuffling that usually sends fans scanning for both stability and upside, and this one delivered a little of each. The Trojans brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator and added assistants Paul Gonzales and Sam Carter, while also hiring Mike Ekeler to coach linebackers and oversee special teams. In the middle of that turnover, Riley also elevated Chad Savage from inside receivers and tight ends coach to pass game coordinator, a move that reflects how much USC values the work he has done on the trail and in developing players.
Savages rise fits the larger theme of the offseason: USC is trying to strengthen the defense without losing the staff members who have helped build relationships and keep the roster moving forward. Trovon Reed, the cornerbacks coach, was also retained, a sign the Trojans did not want to lose the recruiting momentum and player trust he has built. With Patterson setting the tone on one side of the ball and familiar lieutenants staying in place around him, Riley is trying to strike the balance between a fresh start and continuity, and that is exactly the kind of staff construction fans usually want to see. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces Another Massive Receiver Battle Fans Know Too Well
USC is back in familiar territory with four-star wide receiver Dennis Tuaone, another highly regarded pass catcher weighing the Trojans against Miami in a recruitment that has plenty of moving parts. The hometown Hurricanes have been a major presence from the start, but USC has stayed in the mix after offering him in March and bringing him in for his first unofficial visit in June, giving the Trojans a real chance to sell their own pitch.
For Tuaone, this decision is shaping up around the kind of things elite receivers tend to remember: coaching relationships, the feel of a program, and how each staff fits him long term. Miami has been making a strong case with its ties close to home, while USC is trying to stand its ground in a battle that has already seen the Hurricanes track another former Trojans target. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Penn State Threat To Worry About
Penn State enters the season with a passing game in transition after losing its top five leading receivers from last year, and that leaves a wide-open path for someone to seize a bigger role. One of the names USC has to keep on its radar is Amarion Jackson, a former safety who ended up at receiver because of injuries and now looks like a real option for an offense that needs answers.
Jacksons path is a little different from the usual freshman arrival, since he followed coach Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State after flipping his pledge. He has also turned heads in spring work, which only adds to the sense that he could be one of the more important new pieces in Penn States offense when the matchup with USC eventually comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]