The Los Angeles Dodgers never get stagnant when it comes to roster moves. They are regularly signing or trading for the best players in MLB, just to do so again not long after. The team has seemingly no financial constraints, which allowed them to sign players such as Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tanner Scott in recent years.
Of course, those additions, when coupled with a preexisting core of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Will Smith, have resulted in back-to-back championships for the Dodgers. With dynasty aspirations, the Dodgers didn’t end their roster improvement this year. They signed Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker in the offseason, both of whom had a case as the best free agents available.
Free agency isn’t the only way to add superstar talent, though, and at the MLB trade deadline, the Dodgers again added the top player available. Tarik Skubal, who is arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball, was traded to Los Angeles, giving the Dodgers an embarrassment of riches and ensuring the team is the favorites to three-peat as champions.
The Dodgers made other moves on the margins, too, such as the trades for Kris Bubic and Ben Rortvedt, but the Skubal trade was the move that has everyone wondering how this team can be beaten. History would show that the Dodgers aren’t done tweaking their roster ahead of a Fall Classic push, but just what moves should the team make with the trade deadline now in the rearview?
The Dodgers don’t need to pursue signings to improve the roster
Right now, on paper, the Dodgers’ roster is one of the deepest in MLB history. However, they have a lot of players on the injured list, and that played a huge part in the moves the team made at the trade deadline. Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Gavin Stone are on the 60-Day Injured List, which further incentivized going all-in on Skubal. Will Smith and Dalton Rushing are both hurt right now, too, and because Rushing might be done catching this season, bringing Rortvedt back, who was on the team last year, was a priority.
While bringing in external talent can never be ruled out when it comes to the Dodgers, Los Angeles’ trade deadline follow-up moves should be more internal than free agent oriented. That doesn’t mean that there are players in the minor leagues that Los Angeles needs to promote, either. Instead, the Dodgers need to get healthy and shuffle the major league roster around with players coming off of the injured list soon.
Once healthy, Snell and Glasnow certainly need major league roster spots, as do Smith and Rushing. There is a case to be made for Gavin Stone, Blake Treinen, and Bubic, too. Los Angeles will need to open up at least four roster spots, if not more. Snell’s return to the rotation will likely relegate Eric Lauer to the minors, and come playoff time Sasaki and/or Justin Wrobleski could be moved to the bullpen. Los Angeles’ starting pitching depth could force Glasnow into relief duty come playoff time, too, but he’d likely remain a starter during the regular season. Glasnow could take Jonathan Hernandez’s spot. Will Smith will easily replace Hunter Feduccia, and that leaves Rushing being activated to the majors in favor of Kyle Hurt.
All of those players are nearing their returns and will be able to get back on the field sooner rather than later. Those four moves would bring in three All-Stars and a player who was a premier prospect not long ago back into the fold. The Dodgers don’t need to do more than that, and at full health, the team is the clear frontrunner to yet again win the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers never get stagnant when it comes to roster moves. They are regularly signing or trading for the best players in MLB, just to do so again not long after. The team has seemingly no financial constraints, which allowed them to sign players such as Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tanner Scott in recent years.
