Dodgers have MLB trade deadline's worst-kept secret

If the Dodgers were hoping to keep some kind of secrecy about their intentions at the MLB trade deadline, they failed.

It's impossible to find any kind of insider that isn't clued entirely into their plans for the July 30 deadline. A new prediction from the Athletic's Fabian Ardaya offers yet another less-than-shocking conclusion: the Dodgers are chasing top-end starting pitchers .

Via the Athletic:

The Dodgers will supplement their starting pitching.

It certainly would have qualified as bold at the beginning of the season, but the Dodgers’ cluster of pitching injuries has made solidifying the group a must. The returns of Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw will help some, but there’s a reason the Dodgers are engaged on the likes of Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet.

This is in line with everything else that has been reported around the deadline. Los Angeles is looking for quality pitching, not just a back-of-the-rotation innings eater. If they were wanting that they would've held onto James Paxton instead of designating him for assignment.

It's the logical conclusion for a club dealing with a slew of injuries and regressions up-and-down their rotation. Even if they get fully healthy, another top-of-the-rotation starter would dramatically improve their chances of winning in October, so it makes sense that would be their priority at the deadline.