Cody Snavely
With the 2024 Major League Baseball season entering June, the July 30th trade deadline is fast approaching, and with a team as ambitious as the Dodgers, time is ticking on how they address these issues before October.
Multiple MLB insiders have begun sharing their early trade deadline editorials, such as potential players who will be in the market this season, while also analyzing teams and their needs.
So, what are the prominent figures in the MLB insider world suggesting the Dodgers should do?
Jeff Passan
The Dodgers had one hell of an offseason, bringing in multiple stars to help get the monkey off their back and not only move past the National League Division Series but win the whole thing.
The Dodgers have long anticipated the free agency of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, and the two sides finally agreed on a massive 10-year $700 million deal. They also signed fellow World Baseball Classic teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto, traded for Tyler Glasnow, and bolstered the depth on the bench by re-signing Jason Heyward and Enrique Hernandez.
However, despite all this, the team had some uncertainties. As we step into June, the Dodgers’ outfield, a key area of focus, has been a challenge, as noted by Jeff Passan from ESPN.
Chris Taylor and James Outman have attributed most of the concern to Outman finding his way back to Triple-A OKC, and Chris Taylor is batting below .100 on the year. While they have gotten solid production from Teoscar Hernández (120 wRC+), Jason Heyward (109 wRC+), and Andy Pages (103 wRC+), they are still an inconsistent bunch.
Compared to previous seasons, the Dodgers now have the luxury of focusing on their bench and offense, as their pitching depth in the rotation and the bullpen has been stellar, ranking among the best in the league with a starter ERA of 3.45 and a bullpen ERA of 3.03.
Andrew Friedman cannot run the risk of wasting his core four’s brilliance, particularly with a rotation holding opponents to a .220 batting average and a bullpen that’s even better at .205. With the scarcity of outfield bats, incremental upgrades might be the best bet, but with MLB so wide open, the Dodgers owe it to themselves to do more.
Jeff Passan on the Dodgers trade deadline outlook
The Dodgers will have to make decisions on Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux over the next few weeks. Passan states that the Dodgers owe it to themselves to take advantage of a weak National League, as there are currently only four teams with a winning record.
Bob Nightengale
USA Today’s MLB insider Bob Nightengale shares a sentiment similar to Passan’s, stating that the Dodgers need offensive upgrades to bolster the seven through nine hitters in their order.
Nightengale delves deeper, highlighting the stark contrast between the Dodgers’ top four hitters—Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith—who are among the best in baseball and the bottom of the order, which ranks in the bottom five in the league in average and OPS.
While Passan suggested just an outfielder, Nightengale goes a step further, stating the Dodgers will also be active in the infield market, especially with Max Muncy‘s return date unclear.
Without Max Muncy in the order, the Dodgers’ offense has struggled, going 9-8 in that span. While the Dodgers have plugged utility men Enrique Hernandez, Chris Taylor, and Miguel Rojas at third base, their offensive production is nowhere close to Muncy’s.
As mentioned previously, the Dodgers will need to make tough decisions about roster players and whether the risk they present is worth the cost of yet another October failure.
Jim Bowden
The Athletics Jim Bowden also states that the Dodgers will be busy this July. While the team is in first place in the National League West, it still has a few minor problems that need to be addressed before the postseason.
Interestingly, Bowden’s prediction diverges from the views of Nightengale and Passan. He suggests that the Dodgers’ focus will not only be on bolstering their bench depth but also on enhancing the quality of their bullpen.
The bullpen idea is odd as the Dodgers have the third-ranked bullpen ERA in the majors but are missing elite arms in Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, and Kyle Hurt.
The Dodgers have been linked to former closer Kenley Jansen since this past winter, and Boston is almost certainly looking to trade the veteran right-hander. Could a reunion be in the works?
My thoughts
My thoughts on what the Dodgers should do this deadline are very similar to those of the other MLB insiders.
First and foremost, the Dodgers must urgently address the bottom of the order. The performance of the seven, eight, and nine hitters has been lackluster, and it’s crucial to rectify this before October. The current lineup, if unchanged, could pose a significant threat to the team’s offense.
The Dodgers can adopt a strategic approach, similar to last season, by not going ‘all in’ on an expensive deadline deal. Instead, they could focus on acquiring an infielder and outfielder who can seamlessly fit into the team’s dynamics when needed.
The Dodgers should look for a left-handed hitting option as their bench bats are mostly all right-handed, and the team has struggled against righties compared to lefties so far this season.
While the bullpen is fine as is, I do not hate the idea of getting another elite arm to fortify the backend of the pen for late-game games, along with Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson, and Blake Treinen.
The Dodgers also need to do their due diligence on what shortstops are available at the deadline so they can move Mookie Betts back to second base, the position he was initially supposed to play in 2024.
While the first name is Bo Bichette, the Dodgers could look for others around the league, such as Paul DeJong, who has had a nice bounce-back season with the White Sox and will be trading off any assets.
- Trade for left-handed bat
- Trade for middle infielder
- Trade for late-inning relief pitcher
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