Los Angeles Dodgers Missed Out On Huge Trade for Unfortunate Reason, Offer Revealed

The Los Angeles Dodgers were frequently mentioned in MLB trade rumors ahead of the July deadline, often connected to starting pitchers. While Los Angeles did land Jack Flaherty at the last minute, it did make a last-minute effort to get another All-Star pitcher.

Los Angeles has been decimated by injuries to its starting rotation and bullpen this season. In addition to season-ending surgeries, the Dodgers have seen the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto spend significant time on the injured list. It also heavily influenced the team’s approach to the MLB trade deadline, even if it meant sacrificing top prospects for a cost-controlled starter.

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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic , the Dodgers made an ‘attractive’ offer to the White Sox for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet. The deal did not include catcher Dalton Rushing, one of the Dodgers top prospects, but Los Angeles did attach pitching prospect River Ryan to the deal.

Los Angeles had to accelerate Ryan’s path to the majors because of the number of injuries that struck their rotation. Unfortunately, the White Sox had significant concerns about a shoulder issue that sidelined Ryan at the start of his minor-league season. Citing significant concerns regarding Ryan’s health, Chicago rejected the Dodgers’ offer

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Even if Ryan’s medicals were cleared by the White Sox, there would’ve been another hurdle. Crochet made it clear to teams that he wouldn’t pitch in October without a new contract extension. It meant Los Angeles would have a limited window to negotiate a deal and if they didn’t meet his asking price, he wouldn’t make himself available for the postseason.

Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the White Sox’s concerns proved to be very legitimate. Ryan thrived in a short stint in the majors. Across 4 starts as part of the Dodgers rotation, he recorded a 1.33 ERA with 18 strikeouts and just 15 hits allowed in 20.1 innings pitched. Unfortunately, he exited an Aug. 18 start with elbow discomfort and has since undergone Tommy John surgery.

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Things have only gotten worse for the Dodgers rotation on the injury front. Glasnow is back on the injured list for the second time this year, while Yamamoto is slowly working his way back to the mound. Flaherty is healthy, but Los Angeles will need to make him one of the highest-paid MLB players in 2025 if it wants to keep him.

It’s going to make starting pitching an even bigger priority for the Dodgers this winter. As for the MLB playoffs , Los Angeles will essentially be hoping it doesn’t sustain another injury or it will likely get knocked out early in October.