The Los Angeles Dodgers roster certainly isn’t in dire straights as July closes in, but one of the best teams in baseball does have several holes it must address at the MLB trade deadline. Amid swirling Dodgers rumors of what deals could be made, we’re going to throw out a few ideas.
We will try and be a bit realistic here. The Chicago White Sox have two coveted Dodgers trade targets in Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert, but the asking prices on both are reportedly too high. So, we’ll focus on teams who are widely expected to be sellers with players expected to be moved ths summer.
Los Angeles Dodgers swing multi-player deal with Miami Marlins
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Every contender wants more help in the bullpen and Los Angeles is no different, but center field is obviously a glaring issue for Los Angeles. Entering MLB games today , Dodgers’ center fielders ranked 22nd in FanGraphs ‘ WAR (0.8) and 17th in OPS (.652).
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is an ideal solution. For one thing, he provides the multi-positional versatility that Los Angeles likes with experience playing center field, shortstop and second base. The 26-year-old is also under team control through 2025 and will make just $2.6 million in 2024.
He’s also been very productive at the plate since May 1, slashing .279/.330/.464 with a 119 wRC+, 9 stolen bases, 6 home runs and 4 triples in 194 plate appearances. Chisholm would provide another boost for a Dodgers lineup missing Mookie Betts, while Scott could serve as another high-end lefty in the Dodgers bullpen.
Paul DeJong trade provides more options at shortstop
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Even before Betts’ injury, Dodgers rumors made it pretty clear the team was in the market for a shortstop. The long-term plan when the MVP candidate returns is to keep him at second base, where he’s better defensively, with a steadier option taking over at shortstop.
Paul DeJong certainly isn’t great defensively. Heading into play on June 26, Chicago’s shortstop ranked in the 37th percentile for Outs Above Average (-1) and in the 42nd percentile for Fielding Run Value (-1). However, that is better than both Betts and Bo Bichette at shortstop.
While Miguel Rojas is better defensively, Los Angeles could stand to improve its power production and that’s always been a shortcoming for Rojas. Furthermore, the 35-year-old is slashing just .275/.289/.412 in his last 51 at-bats. At the very least, DeJong provides Dave Roberts with another option to mix and match with Rojas depending on the matchup.
Los Angeles adds Jack Flaherty to the rotation
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
The number of starting pitchers available at the MLB trade deadline has started taking a hit. Jesus Luzardo is on the injured list and with the National League wild-card race a mess, there might be fewer sellers. So, while a starter with multiple years of contract control would be preferred, we’re instead focused on Jack Flaherty for Los Angeles.
We’ll start with the basic numbers. Flaherty boasts the eighth-most strikeouts (108) in the majors this season, all with a 2.92 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. The 29-year-old righty, a California native, also boasts a career-best 33.3 percent strikeout rate with the lowest walk rate (4 percent) of his career. He also ranks in the 94th percentile for Whiff rate (34.3 percent), the 95th percentile for walk rate and is in the 91st percentile for expected ERA (2.71). Everything he’s done in 2024 is legit.
Flaherty is pitching well enough right now that he would easily earn a spot in the Dodgers playoff rotation. The only downside is that he’s a free agent this winter, but being a half-season rental also drives down the acquisition cost.
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