Here is what the Dodgers ought to do earlier than MLB commerce deadline

The Dodgers have a couple of obtrusive holes on their roster.

Sure, as of Wednesday morning, they’re 64-32. And sure, they’ve a ten.5-game lead within the NL West and are competing with the Yankees and Astros for the most effective report in baseball. However because of accidents and a few sudden struggles, the Dodgers may use some assist. And what higher time to seek out it than the commerce deadline?

The Dodgers are one of many many groups linked to Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, however I already talked about these guys and what it could take for Andrew Friedman, Dodgers’ head of baseball operations, to get them. So if Soto and Ohtani are Plans 1A and 1B, listed below are plans C, D, and E.

1. Change Max Muncy

The Dodgers’ first and perhaps most obtrusive want is to discover a alternative for infielder Max Muncy. Justin Turner is banged up (though he was lastly again within the lineup Wednesday) and Chris Taylor presently finds himself on the IL, which has Muncy persevering with to play on daily basis regardless of his brutal hunch. He’s gotten successful in simply 5 of his final 45 at-bats, with 21 strikeouts in that point.

The Dodgers do have the choice of calling up an infielder from their seemingly unending provide of expertise they name a farm system. Or, they will verify in available on the market, discover the sellers, and goal an ideal match for his or her lineup. And excellent news for them, I discovered simply the man.

Brandon Drury presently finds himself on the Reds, the third-worst staff in baseball. Cincinnati will most actually be sellers this deadline, and have a couple of key items groups will goal. Drury, Tyler Mahle, Mike Moustakas, and Luis Castillo (duh) may all be guys who discover themselves on new groups. And the Dodgers must be the primary staff making a name for Drury.

The 29-year-old utility man is hitting .271/.330/.517 this season, and already has a career-high in house runs with 19. He can play second, third, and the outfield, which inserts proper into the mould of men supervisor Dave Roberts and the Dodgers love to make use of. He will certainly be one of many premier abilities available on the market this deadline, however the Dodgers have greater than sufficient expertise to make a transfer. The identical goes for the subsequent few guys I’m about to speak about.

2. Goal Garrett Cooper

On Tuesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Put up reported that the Marlins could be listening to provides on everybody besides their younger ace Sandy Alcantara. Which means one of many Marlins’ different 2022 All-Stars, Garrett Cooper, is on the desk. Wednesday morning, Heyman reported the Dodgers were interested in acquiring Cooper, however needed to attend on a Soto decision earlier than making the transfer. Cooper could be a powerful bat so as to add to their lineup, as he’s slashing .279/.347/.426 with seven house runs and 40 RBI. He would even be a inexpensive choice than Drury by way of what they’d be sending in return.

Though Cooper’s solely performed first base this season, he does have main league expertise in proper. The Dodgers are fairly comfy at these two positions with Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, however they do have the DH spot, and are by no means shy about having their guys strive new positions.

3. This ain’t a scene, it’s an arms race

Now we are able to transfer on to pitching. Everybody has been calling for the Dodgers so as to add one other beginning pitcher this commerce deadline. The aforementioned Castillo and Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas are two gifted pitchers being dangled this deadline.

However fairly frankly, I don’t actually know why the Dodgers would add a beginning pitcher. The Dodgers presently have the most effective rotation ERA in all of baseball, and are solely anticipating to get stronger within the coming months with the returns of two-time All-Star Walker Buehler, longtime starter Danny Duffy, and younger flamethrower Dustin Might — though I’ve already lobbied for him to be their nearer come postseason time.

The Dodgers recalled Andrew Heaney from the IL to begin Wednesday’s recreation, and he now joins a rotation of 2022 All-Stars Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and Tyler Anderson, in addition to Julio Urias, who most likely simply missed the minimize. The Dodgers have additionally loved spectacular begins from Mitch White and Ryan Pepiot this season. So absolutely wholesome, the Dodgers may have as much as 9 guys in a position to begin a recreation. And are available postseason time, you really want simply three or 4.

The Dodgers could be a lot better off wanting so as to add to their bullpen — one which has been ravaged by accidents and has struggled mightily as of late. They’re in too powerful of a division to be giving up video games due to a lackluster bullpen, so quite than ready for his or her guys to get absolutely wholesome, the Dodgers ought to goal one in every of these choices.

4. Bullpen targets

The Tigers are having a full-on firesale and that’s excellent news for the Dodgers. They’ve two relievers, Michael Fulmer and Andrew Chafin, who could be enormous additions to the Dodgers’ pen. Fulmer, the 2016 American League Rookie of the Yr, has shined in his full-time reliever position to the tune of a 2.92 ERA in 37 innings of labor, with an opponent’s batting common of simply .189. Chafin is a lefty reliever who pitches effectively to batters on each side of the plate. He has a 2.64 ERA in 30.2 innings, and has allowed a batting common of simply .214 towards him.

The Rockies are additionally a staff who will likely be seeking to unload some relievers. Alex Colome and nearer Daniel Bard would each be nice additions to the staff. Colome has a 3.38 ERA in 37.1 innings of labor, whereas Bard has an astonishing 1.91 ERA in his 37.2 innings. The truth that they’re pitching lots of these innings on the notorious Coors Discipline makes these numbers that rather more spectacular.

Lastly, nearer David Robertson of the lowly Cubs may very well be a stable choice for the Dodgers. Robertson has a 1.91 ERA throughout his 39.1 innings pitched, and has allowed opponents to hit simply .147 towards him. He additionally has a ton of postseason expertise as a Yankee and Ray, with a profession 3.11 ERA throughout 14 totally different playoff sequence. He threw 2.1 scoreless innings within the 2009 World Collection for the victorious Yankees.

Aug. 2 is sort of right here

The Dodgers have a ton of choices as they give the impression of being to enhance their roster over the subsequent seven days main as much as the Aug. 2 deadline. Standing pat wouldn’t be the worst factor, as they’re anticipating a ton of expertise to return come postseason time. However you by no means need to predict how a participant will look coming off the IL, particularly for the blokes who’ve been sitting for an extended time period.

The Dodgers have by no means been shy to improve their roster come deadline time, and have the chance so as to add some premier expertise to the already greatest staff within the Nationwide League. Don’t be stunned when you see their identify come up so much over the subsequent week.