Dodgers named blockbuster trade fit for $124 million superstar from AL West

Even as the Los Angeles Dodgers sit one game away from the World Series in 2024, starting pitching remains a concern moving forward.

Nearly every starting pitcher the Dodgers used this year ended up on the injured list for an extended period of time. Meanwhile, others were on the injured list the entire season, and others still will miss all of next season recovering from their latest injuries.

Bringing in one more starter to pair with Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the top of the 2025 rotation would give the Dodgers a huge advantage in their possible quest to repeat as World Series champions. And as they did with Glasnow last winter, they could look to the trade market as their answer.

One team with starting pitchers to spare is the Seattle Mariners, who are hurting for young hitters but possess arguably the best starting rotation in all of baseball. Zachary D. Rymer named the Dodgers as a fit for Mariners ace Logan Gilbert, who made his first career All-Star team in 2024.

"The logic of trading Logan Gilbert would be straightforward: The Mariners would be selling high and avoiding an arguably even more uncomfortable parting of ways down the road," Rymer said.

"According to Adam Jude of The Seattle Times , "there has been little discussion about a long-term deal" between Gilbert and the Mariners. He isn't due for free agency until after 2027, yet his trade value can perhaps only go lower while his contract demands can only go higher."

Gilbert is exactly what the Dodgers need to cement their rotation as one of the game's best. He's not just an ace, he's a workhorse too, having led all of Major League Baseball with 208 2/3 innings pitched. He put up a 3.23 ERA and an MLB-best 0.889 WHIP in those innings.

At 27, Gilbert will not be a free agent until after the 2027 season, so the Dodgers could led his contract situation stand, or look to extend him now. He's currently projected for a six-year, $124 million deal by Spotrac .

Will Gilbert prove to be the glue that keeps the Dodgers rotation intact for a full season? Only time will tell.

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