Starting pitching is known to be a Dodgers priority heading into next week’s trade deadline, and general manager Brandon Gomes didn’t shy away from that in speaking with the Dodgers’ beat last night. Gomes and manager Dave Roberts publicly discussed the “difficult” decision to designate James Paxton for assignment but acknowledged that with the slate of arms they have returning from the injured list (to say nothing of a potential trade acquisition), “now would be the best time to see if there’s interest” in Paxton before the deadline (link via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). The Dodgers hope to trade Paxton, Ardaya reports, pointing out that a new team would only owe the lefty the prorated portion of his $4MM base salary; Paxton’s $3MM signing bonus, $2MM roster bonus and full slate of incentives have already been paid out.
On the team’s search for additional rotation help, Gomes made clear that the Dodgers aren’t prioritizing marginal upgrades or back-end innings eaters to help patch things over for the rest of the regular season. “Targeting starting pitching, but it’s going to be an impact-type arm,” Gomes said of his club’s approach to the trade deadline.
That’s a tall order, of course. The starting pitching market is generally thin. White Sox ace Garrett Crochet and Tigers righty Jack Flaherty are the two most impactful names expected to be widely available. High-profile targets like Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and, to a much lesser degree, the Cubs’ Justin Steele have at least been the subject of some speculation, but neither is expected to be traded by next Tuesday. As a rotation-hungry club with a deep stock of controllable young talent and high-end prospects, the Dodgers could put together a compelling offer to test the Tigers’ conviction on Skubal, but any such deal is a long shot and would face steep competition from the Orioles and other similarly positioned contenders.
[Related: Top 50 trade candidates for the 2024 MLB trade deadline]
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez recently reported that Crochet sits atop the Dodgers’ deadline wish list. Given the lack of “impact” arms who can be controlled beyond the current season, that’s hardly a surprising development. Any team that acquires Crochet will have some trepidation about his workload — the lefty’s 107 1/3 innings this year exceed his combined career total since being drafted in 2020 — but there’s no denying his dominance. The former No. 11 overall pick sports a 3.02 ERA (2.35 FIP, 2.45 SIERA). His 35.2% strikeout rate is tops among the 164 pitchers who’ve tossed at least 50 innings this season. His 5.4% walk rate ranks 23rd among that same sub-set.
As evidenced by the Paxton DFA, the L.A. rotation is in a state of flux. The Dodgers are welcoming Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw back from the injured list this week. Top prospect River Ryan made his MLB debut yesterday and tossed 5 1/3 shutout frames. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is on the injured list until at least mid-August but is still expected to pitch again this season. There’s hope that recently optioned Bobby Miller can return to form and that former top starter Walker Buehler can come back from the injured list and still contribute late in the season. Other young, less-proven options for the Dodgers include Gavin Stone, Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski. Stone, in particular, has emerged as a key arm with 18 starts of 3.19 ERA ball.
If everyone’s healthy, the Dodgers arguably already have a formidable playoff staff — but that’s a sizable “if.” Crochet would add more of a question mark to the bunch than a definitive ace, given his workload questions, but it’s also possible the Dodgers could utilize him as a multi-inning reliever late in the season or even get him some closing work. That’s speculative, to be clear, but manager Dave Roberts stopped short last night of referring to team saves leader Evan Phillips as his “closer,” Jack Harris of the L.A. Times tweets. Phillips has hit a rough stretch recently, yielding nine runs in his past 7 1/3 innings.
A pitcher like Crochet could be an “impact” arm in either a starting or relief role. He likely holds extra appeal to the Dodgers, given not only his two extra seasons of club control but his bottom-of-the-barrel $800K salary. RosterResource projects that the Dodgers already have $326MM worth of luxury obligations, placing them in the top tier of penalization. As a team paying the tax for a third consecutive season, they’re subject to a 110% overage fee on any new players acquired. Crochet will have about $258K of his salary yet to be paid out come deadline day; he’d only cost the Dodgers (or another maximum-penalty CBT team) about $542K in additional salary.
What else is new!
Dodgers apoear to match up better with the White Sox for Crochet (and Robert and Kopech?) than they do with the Tigers for Skubal.
No they don’t wsox want alot
As they should want a lot
I don’t think the Dodgers have what it would take for Skubal. Rushing, De Paula and some mid 20s starting pitchers? No thank you.
As much as I would like to see Crochet go to a contender, it doesn’t seem as if the Dodgers need him. He won’t want to go back to being a reliever and MLBTR worries about his innings like a little old lady. He hasn’t missed a start and has a career high in IP. But with his statistics, years of control and a cheap-as-it-comes salary, why would the Sox want to keep him?
Agreed. The Orioles have more attractive pieces to get Skubal
The Orioles have more pieces to get either Skubal or Crochet
yeah, but they aren’t going to give up the farm for him. I don’t think the Dodgers will either. If Skubal moves, it’s in the offseason, but if they don’t move him, they’re dumb. He won’t re-sign in Detroit and he won’t sign an extension, not with Boras as his agent. The Orioles aren’t going to give up Holiday or Mayo and the Dodgers probably won’t move De Paula. Rushing could for sure be had, maybe Miller and some other good prospects, but I don’t think the Dodgers want to empty the farm system, especially with Roki Sasaki available next season for just money.
But it doesn’t matter who has the most, or better pieces if they aren’t willing to move them. Its who makes the best offer, if its enough.
The Dodgers have some young guys in MLB like Miller, Pages and Miguel Vargas who would might be of interest and younger pitchers like Ferris in the minors as well. Joendry Vargas at SS and Diego Cartaya at C too. I think there would have to be more players shipped over in a Dodgers deal than an O’s deal.
I somewhat disagree. Rushing, Cartaya, Ryan, Frasso, Grove and Vargas would get it done.
I’m not sold on Frasso and Ryan. Ryan is almost the same age as Skubal. I don’t hate that package though.
Tigers are less likely to trade Skubal today than they were last week. Even Flaherty. I’ve been saying they can’t turn down the return for Flaherty, but with Olson down and Mize still not on a rehab assignment, I have to wonder if they’d be willing to scrap this season by selling Flaherty. That’s exactly what they’d be doing, because they are very thin at starting pitchers. I think they have two bullpen games this week.
Lots of big decisions to make. With them being the hottest team in baseball, those decisions are a lot more difficult.
From a Tigers standpoint; If you’re planning on contending in the next 2 years, you want to keep him. But on the flip side, he’s already had two surgeries on his pitching arm, so that puts him at a higher risk. Do they sell now while his value is at its highest, or hold off and risk him to injury and lose most of the equity they now have.
Tigers are contending this year. They’ve made up a ton of ground in the last few weeks. And if they get Carpenter back…..
But, they would have to overcome a Flaherty trade at a time when they are extremely short on starters.
I think it will be Flaherty.
Crochet is in a tough position. If moved to the pen, how does he refrain from trying to throw harder in short stints, when his arm has been so taxed this year. Sounds like a recipe for injury.
Probably why the White Sox haven’t done it already. Crochet is valuable but I don’t think he’s worth what people think he’s worth. Huge risk.
Can I interest you in a Chris Basset or a slightly damaged Kevin Gausman?
Agreed – Chris Bassitt is underrated. Dodgers would do well to land CB.
Is he a guy you want in the playoffs? If I’m the Dodgers GM, I have to push for Skubal first, then Crochet.
Crochet is on an innings restrictions program and if Skubal isn’t he should be. So, yes, much prefer Bassitt because based on his seasonal innings pitched history there’s a solid chance he’ll still be around September in to October.
Gaus man for an Out man?
Gausman and Kikuchi for Outman and Daulton Rushing and you have a deal.
Gausman is worth discussing, but the Dodgers have zero use for Kikuchi. If they did, they would never have DFA’d Paxton.
With Danny Jansen on the verge of free agency, the prize in any deal for the J’s would be Rushing
Dodgers don’t really have a lot of young impact players, including prospects. Not at the moment. Unlike some past trades for “impact players,” this one would hurt bad.
The Dodgers don’t have a lot of prospects?! Their farm system is in the top ten.
And most of their recent “top prospects”—including the ones they’ve traded—have shown very poor results. The Dodgers are on top because they’ve landed Betts, Freeman and Ohtani, none of whom they nurtured to the big leagues.
WTF are you talking about? Gavin Stone has been lights out this season with an ERA+ of 125, Pages has been touch and go but has 8 homers, Vargas has an OPS+ of 118, and Knack has an ERA+ of 124. Crochet has an ERA+ of 136
Ok, but they just said their farm system is in the top ten..
Dodgers prospects are always overrated and pampered by the media. Look at their numbers over a couple years.
I think whatever the dodgers are after I think Baltimore can match them
But will they?
Real question is which team is NOT seeking “impact” rotation arms?
Seattle?
Philadelphia?
Yet they cut Paxton after he made enough starts to guarantee his full salary thus guaranteeing that no one will trade for him and the Dodgers will have to pay all but the prorated league minimum when he signs elsewhere as a free agent
The Orioles could use some starting pitching depth and I could easily see them throwing some cash or a AA backup catcher at LA. He would slot in as the number 5 spot instead of Povich
They already paid out all the bonuses. Any team trading for him is only on the hook for a prorated amount of his $4 million base salary. It’s in the article.
Wrong. Learn to read.
“a new team would only owe the lefty the prorated portion of his $4MM base salary; Paxton’s $3MM signing bonus, $2MM roster bonus and full slate of incentives have already been paid out.”
take your time digesting that
I’m pretty sure that is only relevant if he’s traded or selected on waivers. If he passes through waivers, then he can be picked up for the prorated league minimum.
yes. there is no way he clears waivers. and more likely he gets traded in the coming days to a team that wants to jump the waiver line.
Call the Jays about Kikuchi. Might as well build an MLB version of NPB team. Change the name to Chunichi Dragons with the Dodgers logo, as they already have.
Kikuchi is awful.
@Pete’sView
Which pitcher is not awful? A lot of overrated SPs out there right now.
Twins need Paxton after the Dodgers DFA’d him.
Twins need a lot of things
Keuchel sort of worked last year. Why not try it again with Paxton? Anything to get Paddack in the pen
Flaherty is from California. He could make sense for the Dodgers. I think the Dodgers would be fine with a rental considering their long term outlook.
Too risky. They need a guy with no injury issues this year.
I disagree. The Dodgers have guys that might be available later in the year. They need upside not reliability.
Flaherty is having an outlier season compared to his track record. Danger, Will Robinson.
He had similar seasons in 2018, 2019 and 2021. He’s had injury issues. I am a Cardinal fan he has talent just needs to stay healthy and out of politics.
he merely talked about how the Floyd matter affected his feelings. Hey if Manny can openly wear a ef JoeB tee shirt without consequence, then I say let Jack speak him mind about social injustice in the US.
That seemed to coincide with him pitching poorly. Perhaps it was simply a coincidence. I don’t think it was.
There are a lot of injustices in the world. When you focus on one particular race and ignore others you lose me.
In the moment when someone speaks of one particular injustice (be it social, environmental, etc…), it’s incredibly assuming to think that it means they are ignoring the others.
I have never heard Jack speak on any injustices except during the BLM stuff and about blacks. Perhaps I am wrong but pretty sure I am not.
Being a cop is a tough job. Many cops have made mistakes and some are inexcusable. But unless you want to grab a badge and defend your town I don’t want to hear too much complaining. Especially from a guy making millions of dollars playing a kids game.
And you probably have had extensive conversations with Jack Flaherty right?
Hey cops make mistakes. In the Floyd case it was in front of millions of horrified viewers.
I live in Denver. If you arent aware it’s a very liberal city. But what I tell people is if you think you are a liberal come live where I live for a year. Come live around people who don’t speak english and don’t obey the rules. Come live where the cops don’t show up and don’t care when they do. Come out here and give it a shot then we will see what you are really about.
Extremism doesn’t work. Once you pick a side you have already lost.
I am a Cardinals fan. I don’t follow him on Twitter but others fans do and they report what he says.
Again cops make mistakes. They aren’t perfect. But defunding the police? Only criminals want that.
So apparently in your mind it’s okay for you to talk “politics” in MLBTR, but not for Jack Flaherty to do so in an interview he once had. Okay.
I am not Jack Flaherty. Nobody cares what I say. And I don’t care that he talked politics. But the only time he did was when it was en vogue to discuss it. And he picked a side. I don’t pick sides. Both sides suck.
So because you’re nobody and he’s a professional athlete he lacks the freedoms you enjoy?
Like I said it wasnt him discussing politics that was the problem it was him picking a side.
And yes as a celebrity he can’t just shoot his mouth off the same way a nobody like me or you can. That is true.
Missouri is a red state but St Louis and KC lean blue. Its about as middle of the road as you will find in the entire country. Like I said the problem was he picked a side.
Well this discussion went straight down the porcelain receptacle.
JESUS CHRIST! What an absolute pos you are. F— bad cops.
right, after all, we live in a country where entertainment celebrities aren’t allowed to voice their opinions about the world we live in.
funny how that happens Blue. For what it’s worth, I think FO hearts are set on Skubal (if available) or Crochet, not Flaherty.
Yeah. And if a celebrity said that Michael Brown’s hands weren’t up and that case was a fraud, you would call him a racist
Someone mentions a study saying that blacks aren’t targeted by the police. Someone mentions that the number is extremly low(under 50) of blacks being murdered per year by the police, and that number is a rounding error compared to interactions. Waahhh racist
-Suitcase simpson types
Brew you are the one who got all defensive about what I said. I will repeat his comments on politics seemed to coincide with him pitching poorly. Prerty sure that’s why myself and others didn’t like it. If he pitched a shutout and wanted to tweet black lives matters after the game I don’t think anyone would have cared. But he had a bad year. He seemed distracted like a lot of players did.
99.9999 percent of interactions between black people and cops go well.. I guess we need to lie to black people to keep them scared
It’s becoming more and more difficult to have discussions on any subject without someone trying to steer it onto whatever topic THEY want to talk about. Because, you know, it’s the only really important thing in the entire world.
This is a baseball discussion board, people. If you want to give everyone the benefit of your deep political thoughts, do it somewhere else.
Thank you. Signed, a baseball fan.
agree
All I said was Flaherty should have stayed out of politics. If you don’t want to discuss it then dont.
So I’m guessing you must love that new HR celebration your boys showed the world on Sunday.
You know…the one that had nothing at all to do with politics……………….
@Blackpink. I’m merely trying to understand your point, not being defensive at all.
My point is baseball requires focus. I don’t think he was focused on the right things in 2020 and it hurt his performance.
I see. He has been inconsistent and not always attributable to injuries.
Cities tend to be blue. Rural areas tend to be red. That not unusual any where in the country.
Missouri has a LOT of rural areas.
And on it goes. 🙁
I’d rather the Twins get Kikuchi or Fedde. Paxton is not a playoff caliber starter.
He might be. I don’t trust Fedde and he plays in the same division as the Twins. Kikuchi makes sense but a lot of teams need a lefty and the Twins don’t typically win bidding wars. Paxton has some upside.
Holliday, Bradfield, Povich, Beavers, and McDermott for Crochet and Robert.
Who, if anyone, says no?
I think Orioles say no. Holliday is insanely valuable. Take him out and put Basallo or Mayo in his place and I think that makes a lot of sense.
BITA- I think Holliday is the best prospect of the three, but I also feel that he is most expendable for the Orioles if the belief is that Mayo will be able to stick at 3B and that Basallo can stick at catcher. Mayo’s right handed bat is needed to balance out the very left-skewed offensive picture and Basallo is needed as “Adley leaves in free agency” insurance.
gorav- It is an absolute whale of a package, but it’s structured in a way that I think we could weather it if things went sideways by way of injuries or otherwise.
cwsO- One thing to keep in mind is that I don’t think Holliday would be available for either guy individually. Also, Robert would help balance out the lineup with another righty bat and should be a marked upgrade over Mullins in CF, who is having a pretty putrid year.
Man that’s a lot to give up as an O’s fan but it would allow them to keep Mayo and Basallo while also replacing their weakest offensive spot with Robert and getting Crochet. Hard to see a trade of this caliber happening but I could be convinced.
WSox b/c they are better off splitting Crochet and Robert in separate deals. 2 very high end position players needed in both trades, along with perhaps an intriguing starter prospect Bannister likes that could be underappreciated (not necessarily off groupthink rankings).
You know O’s better but doubt they want Robert in the sense he’s a luxury when pitching is the big priority.
who says no
bichette and Gausman to Dodgers
Frasso, Ferris, Cartaya, Quintero to Toronto
Why would the Dodgers want Bichette? He’s injured and having a terrible season when on the field.
It’s one of those storylines that just refuses to die.
Who’s the Dodgers shortstop?
That’s why……..
Bichette doesn’t help with that.
If they want a guy to play short from the Jays, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the better option. He’ll be off the IL sooner and has been much more effective.
Rojas, Hernandez, Taylor, and when he comes back, Betts. Bichette not being really better than any of these is why the storyline should die.
Yep on IKF. He’s the solution the Dodgers need. Been riding that hobby horse for weeks.
If you truly think Kalefa is better than Bichette I don’t know what to tell you.
Rojas is more of a utility guy
Hernandez isn’t good
Taylor is worse than Hernandez
Betts isn’t a shortstop
Bichette is having a down year. To act like that’s who he is moving forward is silly.
so you want to replace avg utility guys with an avg utility guy.
If you want a full season of IKF over a Full season of Bo, well don’t quit your day job.
Rojas is quietly one of the best defensive shortstops in the game, and he’s hitting well besides. I guess you didn’t know that. The biggest question is whether his body will hold up, which is why the depth matters. Betts has already proven that he can play the position. Nobody knows if he will return to it when he comes back (probably not even the Dodgers) but for now it really doesn’t matter. IKF makes sense because the real issue for the Dodgers is 3B. Muncy may or may not come back this season, and if he does it will be late. IKF can start at 3B now and be used as infield depth later. The stopgap Biggio goes. He’s a solution to the problem the Dodgers actually have.
Why does it matter re: Bichette, a below-average defender with a below-average arm (and that was all before he re-aggravated his calf injury)…?
Hard pass.
Moneyball – you had my interest until you mentioned Quintero.
Dodgers say no everyday and twice on Sundays.
Rojas should be the the Dodgers starting SS. Period. Betts, Ohtani, Freeman, Smith, and T. Hernandez provide the offense. As was mentioned, Rojas is one of the best defensive SS in the game. Lux seems fully recovered from his terrible injury last year. Put Mookie back in RF and call it a day.
Rojas is the starting SS, but they have to keep him healthy by managing his workload.
I think the Dodgers would certainly do this trade if they first strike out on Crochet and Skubal is unattainable. I would buy low on the fact that Bichette would be back to an above average player in 2025, and has a chance to bounce back late in 2024 if his calf heels.
Keeping Justin Steele’s name in these articles is just padding.
He’s not going anywhere; he’s a solid building block in the Cubs’ future.
Agreed, Steele isn’t going anywhere unless a team like the O’s decide to pull the trigger.
What would you give for Sonny Gray.
Not available
Trevor Bauer is available.
At 21st you don’t succeed, try try again
Although I prefer crochet. Flaherty has had a heck of a year and would be an interesting snag. I’m sure the cost on both is extreme, but the price on Flahertys got to be much less and has to be the more appealing between the two. Plus he’s got somewhat familiarity vs nl pitching vs crochet just barley seeing interleague play in bulk innings.
Oooh the Francisco Vicioso trade market is heating up!!
What would a Dodgers deal for Skubal look like? Would it include Lux? Dalton Rushing? Page? I would want, Rushing, Outman and SS Alex Freeland at least. Maybe throw in a pitching prospect or two.
I think it would be Rushing, either Pages or Vargas to Outman, Bobby Miller or Jackson Ferris and maybe another prospect or two.
I agree VLM. Rushing, Vargas, Miller would be a good starting point. I hope they would not include De Paula or Joendry in any trade.
Maybe if Detroit is really thinking long term, there could also be a deal with the Dodgers taking on Baez and part/most of his contract on a lower return for Skubal.
Lux and Outman have ZERO value.
Presumably the Dodgers want all the impact arms. I’m not being salty, just making an observation.
What about Luis Castillo?
Dodgers have the prospects to get a Crochet and it just makes good sense to do that now and for the future. 2024 you can limit his innings down the stretch as a piggy back starter and once in the playoffs you only start your top 3 and a kid like Crochet already knows how to come in from the pen if one of those 3 gets in trouble early. The long term sense is just controlled salary and like any acquisition if they stay healthy you can see him as a solid #2 starter on the Dodgers where he’d be a #1 on 80% of all the other teams.
If they get Crochet, the Dodgers’ rotation next year could easily look like:
Glasnow
Ohtani
Yamamoto
Crochet
Stone
Sasaki
This assumes that Miller is either moved in a deal or simply doesn’t return his rookie-year heights; that Kershaw hangs them up; and that Buehler departs.
Meanwhile, Gonsolin, May, Wrobleski, Knack, Ryan and Sheehan can all make their best cases, once healthy.
Not a terrible possible-near-future for Los Angeles…..
I still say there’s an excellent chance the Sox grab Paxton, if they pretend to be buyers.
Max Fried
Hi Max!
hey Dodgers, I hear Jordan Lyles is available and he’s pretty cheap
Yeah, he always makes me pick up the check.