As is customary, the Dodgers enter deadline season looking to add to the roster. Los Angeles holds the National League’s second Wild Card spot and sits 2 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has already acknowledged the club is likely to pursue rotation help — and that was before they knew Dustin May would not return this season. Manager Dave Roberts suggested this evening the team could benefit from bringing in a right-handed hitter as well.
“I think a right-handed bat makes sense,” Roberts told reporters (including Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times). The skipper pointed to the uncertain health status of righty-hitting utility player Chris Taylor as reason to explore outside help. Taylor has been on the injured list for two weeks because of a bone bruise in his right knee. Roberts said over the weekend that he’d be out through the All-Star Break, and tonight’s suggestion about potential external reinforcements could indicate the club is concerned about a fairly lengthy absence.
Even independent of the knee issue, there’s a case for the Dodgers scaling back Taylor’s role. He has hit just .217/.293/.397 with a 35.1% strikeout rate in 636 trips to the plate since the start of last season. Taylor has hit seven homers in 62 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year, but he has had a tough time getting on base consistently against pitchers of either handedness.
The Dodgers are also without Trayce Thompson, who entered the year expected to serve as the right-handed part of a center field platoon with James Outman. Los Angeles has Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Will Smith and the middle infield tandem of Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas who hit from the right side. Betts, Martinez and Smith are three of the better hitters in the sport, but Vargas and Rojas have struggled offensively. Backup catcher Austin Barnes isn’t much of a threat at the dish. Righty-swinging fourth outfielder Jonny DeLuca doesn’t have much big league experience.
Los Angeles could cast a wide net positionally if they indeed seek out a right-handed bat. Betts has shown himself capable of manning the middle infield or taking an outfield spot, so he could bounce around to accommodate a new acquisition. That’s also true of Taylor whenever he’s able to return from the injured list.
Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, Mark Canha and Adam Duvall are among the right-handed hitters who could be available at the deadline with their current teams in uncertain competitive situations. The Reds are fighting for an NL Central title but could still make former #2 overall pick Nick Senzel available as a change-of-scenery candidate given their influx of infield talent.
Senzel hasn’t hit righties at all this year but carries a .373/.422/.627 line in 64 plate appearances against southpaws and can bounce between the infield and outfield. Outfielder Lane Thomas is destroying left-handed pitching for the Nationals this season; he’s controllable through 2025 and would be tough to pry away, but a rebuilding Washington club seems unlikely to take him off the table entirely in trade discussions.
The Mets have Marte for you lol
I think Pham or Canha is more up their alley.
Very surprised about Pham’s resurgence at the plate this season, I thought he would be a dead man walking at the beginning of the season…a DFA by May 1. Lo and behold the old trickster has some tricks left in his bag.
I would not trust Pham and would add another player that wouldn’t cost much: the return of Enrique Hernandez.
Pham won’t cost much. He’s a rental.
My issue with Pham is he’s playing better but for how long?
The Dodgers didn’t want Kike the first time and surely don’t want him now.
Get him quickly and be pull out. Wham bam thank Pham.
I agree DeJong would be a good fit for the Dodgers. Don’t need a whole lot back.
Duvall
We’ll give you Javier Baez & pay half his contract.
Gonna take more than half
And send you Casey Mize in the deal. That should be the upside sweetener to unload Baez and half his contract.
Mize wouldn’t come for free despite dumping Baez. Expand that deal with bullpen arms or Tigers prospects so we see more of a benefit and fill our own holes. Vargas, Busch OR Cartaya AND Bobby Miller back the other way. The shine has come off Cartaya a bit.
Didn’t realize the dodgers were trading for Julio Rodriguez.
Didn’t realize Julio pitched! You’d be paying all 4 of those names plus more to get Julio Rodriguez dude. That’s a Juan Soto type deal for him.
Pry away Anderson
53 OPS+ with a -1.3 bWAR.
Prying? lol
‘Pry away’ Tim Anderson? Got a bag of baseballs and he is your mess.. I mean player.
Anderson has played himself into a salary dump situation with the White Sox or the acquiring team unlikely to even pick up his option…
Anderson’s offense has been offensive this season, with his value more in the Miguel Rojas tier opposed to top tier of shortstops.
TA has dealt with injuries and White Sox are selling incredibly low if they move him. He is showing signs of life finally in the last week or so (batting over .300) so maybe he regains some value before the end of July
Take Kiké back from Boston. He won’t cost much and a change of scenery might do him some good.
Dorothy, sorry I just wrote the same thing before seeing your post.
An ideal deadline would be combo Pham/Robertson deal. Then use that built up farm to get Dylan Cease
Senzel makes a lot of sense. his multi-position ability would fit the Dodgers perfectly, and the Dodgers could send a nice prospect CIN’s way and help with their infield roster glut.
A MLB reliever and an A-AA SP for Senzel, done
If the dodger are trading a MLB reliever it’s not going to be anyone another team wants.
How about Andy Ibanez from Detroit? He’s played 2B, 3B, RF, and LF this year. His bat has also come to life of late.
The Yankees have Giancarlo Stanton for you lol.
Don’t look now, but the Mets are still undefeated in July. Pham is probably staying if they get back to .500 this month and/or within 5 games of the wildcard.
How about a return of 3 former Dodgers: Turner, Hernandez and Jansen?
The Sox will likely get more trading them separately.
I’d swap out Jansen for Martin. Not sure Friedman wants to invest $20 plus million in Jansen through 2024.
I wouldn’t. Martin is the one I keep if I’m Bloom. Which of course is probably why Martin is the one that gets traded
Or a different Hernandez.
Teoscar Hernández has been red-hot since June.
Easy to envision a swap for Michael Busch.
Pursuing pitching makes sense. Pursuing a RHB would be a nice bonus, but not the primary target in deadline trades.
Luis Robert could be a target if they play their cards right
That would be a very high price to pay…
Any Dodgers fans out there?
What would you give up for DeJong?
Rojas is playing like a 3 win player with an OPS in the 550s that’s hard to do. DeJong only plays short but Rojas could move around to other positions.
I think DeJong will he available. Edman belongs at shortstop or 2b not center where he’s been playing lately. Plus the Caridnals have Winn coming and DeJongs 2024 option isn’t cheap. He also has an option for 2025 too.
What’s that worth?
What do you think of Dylan Carlson? You’re always pushing Donovan on the Mariners but I think Carlson may have another gear or two still to tap in to, Cards can’t seem to realize his potential.
I don’t know about DeJong. He’s a good player, but acquiring him would be more of a lateral move.
I think LA needs a right handed “outfield” bat to off-set Heyward, Outman, and/or Peralta when a LHP is on the mound.
I’m thinking more along the lines of Pham, Canha, and Duvall in that order simply because of Pham’s numbers specifically against left handed pitchers.
How about DeJong and ONeill both?
Again we are not talking about a lot of value here. ONeill has legit upside and DeJong is having a 4 win season in 2023.
Thanks, but not thanks on O’Neil. Dodgers already have a strikeout specialist in Chris Taylor. lol.
Jack Flaherty sounds intriguing though. LA needs an arm to eat innings until October.
ONeill is a good player. He’s been treated like garbage by the Cardinals organization he needs a fresh start. He’s a good player.
Yeah Flaherty is definitely available. What are the Cardinals getting back for him?
I am not always pushing Donovan to the Mariners. The Cardinals need to trade either Donovan or Edman and I think Donovan would be a great fit for the Mariners. I think Edman makes a lot of sense for Cleveland but Edman is slumping and I believe Rosario has been playing well lately so that idea doesn’t look as good today.
The Cardinals organization has soured on Carlson. Personally I think he’s a solid player but he’s no star I have always thought that. He’s good at everything great at nothing. I think there are 10 players that make more sense for the Cardinals to trade before Carlson. Carlson can legitimately play some center and that’s a big hole on the team trading him makes it worse.
I think it’s possible that Carlson is traded. But again there is a long list of players I would trade before him. ONeill is a lock to be dealt.
Doesn’t he have to be healthy in order to get traded? I know Bader was felt last season while
Hurt but he’s been a valuable player that is desired. O’Neil…not so much.
ONeill is in AAA playing right now
Trade for DeJong and Flaherty. I bet the dodgers could get more out of Flaherty and his return to SoCal would also give him a boost.
Ok what are the Dodgers giving up?
I like Maddox Bruns
Amed Rosario is hot.
Yes, and is the starting SS for a team in 2nd place. He’s not on the market. That would be like Dodgers trading JDM or Peralta while they are in 2nd.
LA please take Stanton for a bucket of balls.
He should be with that defense., Freeman and Rocchio are knocking at Cleveland’s doorstep
Cleveland lines up well if Cleveland is inclined to do a partial sell off.
Amed Rosario was terrible the first two months but has a history of doing that and he’s always been a hot hitter in the summer. He would be a bat first SS who they could also swing into CF in a pinch.
They also have Bieber with a year and a half of control left. They also have a really strong bullpen that currently has Karinchak out in the minors. The Dodgers could use BP reinforcements
BTV says this works
Bieber, Rosario, Eli Morgan (RP)
Guards get:
Michael Busch (2B/OF) #3 Pipeline
Andy Pages (OF) #6 Pipeline
Guardians get two corner OF prospects that are already at AAA/close to MLB with pop to help shore up a group that currently has none. They have SP, RP, and SS depth to refill what’s lost (and Rosario is a FA end of the year anyway, Bieber after next season).
AJ Pollock, wasting away in the Emerald City, would be a cheap option. (Jerry would likely pay his remaining 2023 salary)
Rendon for cheap!
Layne thomas is a baller. Just wanted to say this.
Give DeLuca a decent shot before you go making trades.
Why not go after Stroman and Suzuki of the Cubs?