Dodgers Linked to $22 Million Breakout Starting Pitcher at Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Dodgers are struggling with having enough healthy pitchers this season.

In an issue that plagued the team in 2024 on the way to an improbable World Series title that saw just three starting pitchers healthy enough to play in the Fall Classic, a major pressure point from the front office this past offseason was to address this issue.

With 14 pitchers currently on the injured list, the next step is to look towards the trade deadline.

The Dodgers have recently been linked to Texas Rangers starting pitcher Tyler Mahle by Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz.

Mahle, a Newport Beach, CA native, is in the midst of a 2.34 ERA season across his 14 starts. His 77 innings pitched and proven durability this season might just be one of the biggest reasons L.A. would want to push a would-be deal through, despite a murky injury history.

Mintz spoke on two currently injured Dodgers starters as enough of a reason to consider such a deal.

"Right now, [the Dodgers] need to acquire at least one playoff starter, maybe two, depending on how much faith they have in Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell's recovery timeline."

Glasnow has recently completed his first live batting practice of his recovery while Snell threw a bullpen that only consisted of fastballs last week.

The case for Mahle is simple, but in terms of what a return would look like, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the Dodgers are comfortable giving up, especially with his aforementioned history of spending significant time on the IL.

Mahle has been solid this season, but his 2024 campaign was riddled with shoulder injuries, allowing him to muster just three starts. In 2023, he made just five starts and didn't make it past April due to a posterior impingement and flexor pronator strain.

Given his 2025 stats, Mahle would be a no-brainer to bring to the Dodgers for the right price, but if his injury history plus a potential return are too substantial for L.A. to pull the trigger, their caution would be warranted.