What Will the Dodgers Need at the Deadline?

First, let’s address the elephant in the room.

Skubal is likely to be on the block this month. The Dodgers are one of the few teams around the league with the prospect capital to swing a deal without tanking their farm system. 

Now, this would still be a massive investment. It is incredibly rare that a player of Skubal’s caliber comes along at the deadline, much less on a rental contract. The impact would be both immediate and substantial, and the only real risk would be the injury potential.

Still, this would arguably be offset by the Dodgers gaining the ability to negotiate a long-term extension with Skubal. This would fortify the rotation for the foreseeable future, and would be a massive addition as the Dodgers seek to not only win another championship, but establish a dynasty.

However, the move would not come without some drawbacks. While the Dodgers do have an incredibly deep farm system, that would also give the Tigers more room to ask for a heftier return. The Dodgers would likely have to give up a number of top prospects without the guarantee that Skubal would sign an extension.

With a lockout looming and the Dodgers’ payroll already sky-high, Friedman and the Dodgers’ top brass may also be hesitant to add yet another massive contract into the mix. Friedman especially has been vocal in the past about his reluctance to trade the farm for rental contracts, so a blockbuster trade seems unlikely for the time being.

If Not Skubal, Then What?

The Dodgers very well may not trade for Skubal. However, they are incredibly likely to be active on the market for depth additions. As noted by Katie Woo at The Athletic, Friedman has tended to focus more on depth and utility at the deadline, as opposed to his blockbuster offseason moves. So, where will they look?

For one, you can expect the Dodgers to pick up at least one starter and one reliever. Despite Snell and (hopefully) Glasnow expected to return, you can never fully count on an injury recovery. On top of this, top pitching prospect River Ryan was recently shut down with a hamstring injury.

They will likely avoid bidding wars over the top deadline targets. Instead, they may look to find reclamation projects or back-end rotation guys that can eat innings down the stretch. Starters like Mitch Keller or Brady Singer fit the bill.

As for the bullpen, there are a few solid options that would fit well with the Dodgers. Kenley Jansen has openly expressed wanting to retire as a Dodger. Additionally, arms like Gregory Soto or Rico Garcia would help fortify the ‘pen without costing the Dodgers a fortune.

Build the Bench

Finally, on the offensive end of things, the Dodgers will likely want another infielder to supplement the lineup. Will Smith and Enrique Hernández are both sidelined by injury. Others in the lineup have had more than their fair share of dings over the past few years. 

Bringing in a veteran infielder like Gleyber Torres could help shore up that vulnerability. They could also bring in a backup catcher like Christian Vázquez or Ryan Jeffers in the event that Dalton Rushing goes down or Smith has a slow recovery. 

At the end of the day, the Dodgers have arguably run the best offense in baseball this season. They won’t need too much help improving their lineup, but could still work within the margins to beef up their bench and add a depth option or two.

Alternatively, they could look to their farm system and give a cup of coffee to a prospect like James Tibbs III. Though, any kind of prospect promotion would depend on how the trade deadline goes.

The Dodgers have a number of different avenues they can explore going into the deadline. They will definitely be active, but to what extent will depend on a number of factors – namely player health. Expect the Dodgers to make some smaller pickups in the margins, but don’t count them out of the Skubal sweepstakes just yet.