Dodgers 'Unlikely' to Make Major Trade Deadline Splash on Pitching, Says Insider

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in a similar spot to last season as the trade deadline approaches.

Once again, the Dodgers have a depleted pitching staff heading into the summer months with 15 pitchers currently on the injured list.

However, Dodgers insider Jack Harris suggests the defending champions won't make any blockbuster trades this summer, a stark contrast from last season where the Dodgers acquired utility man Tommy Edman, right-hander Jack Flaherty, and reliever Michael Kopech at the deadline.

"Because of that, it seems unlikely they’ll make overly aggressive moves on the trade market leading up to the July 31 deadline," Harris writes. "They could use another right-handed reliever to replace Phillips but might be wary of a high-cost splash for a front-line starter (especially after doling out more than half a billion dollars the last two winters to Glasnow, Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto)."

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman prioritized signing pitching talent last offseason, from Blake Snell to Tanner Scott. While the defending champions were successful in their efforts to acquire more depth, the Dodgers still have a depleted pitching staff.

Nevertheless, after already spending millions, it appears the Dodgers will simply play the waiting game as several injured pitchers are expected to return for the second-half of the season.

While 15 pitchers on the IL is not ideal, the priority for the Dodgers remains October.

The Dodgers bullpen currently leads the league in innings pitched, which is not a sustainable business model. The Dodgers are desperate for reinforcements, but it appears the trade market won't be the solution for L.A. in 2025.