The trade deadline, August 3rd, is just a week away, and get this: the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be *sellers* this year. I know, right? It feels weird to say it, especially with so many teams still scrapping for a playoff run in late July. They’re looking to bolster their farm system instead of bringing in big names.
Deadline Deals Brewing for Prospects
This deadline action is a bit of a shift for the Dodgers. While they’ll still eye a big name like Tarik Skubal if he somehow becomes available, the real buzz is about who they might be shipping out. Katie Woo at The Athletic dropped some names: Eric Lauer and Alex Call. Lauer came over in mid-May when Tyler Glasnow hit the IL, and honestly, he’s been an inning eater. The team hasn’t lost a game he’s started! Keeping him for depth would make total sense, but the Dodgers are apparently thinking about flipping him for prospects, just like they did with Dustin May last season. Then there’s Alex Call. His situation makes even more sense for a trade, especially with the Hernández players back from the IL. Call is another handed bat, making him kind of redundant, and those prospects for the farm system look mighty tempting.
Injury Returns and Ohtani’s Impact
But wait, there’s good news on the injury front, too. Edwin Díaz, Kiké Hernández, and Blake Snell are all expected back really soon. Hernández is slated to return Tuesday, and Díaz is set for Wednesday. On the pitching side, Tyler Glasnow just faced live hitters on Friday and should have one more rehab appearance before rejoining the rotation. Blake Snell makes his third rehab start in Triple-A Oklahoma City this Wednesday, slated for about 60 pitches. They want him up to 75 pitches before he’s back, but Katie points out they don’t have an off day until August 6th, so they might bring him back sooner. What about Shohei Ohtani? He’s not pitching, but the front office and manager Dave Roberts are adamant it won’t affect their deadline moves. Roberts put it plainly: “From his words, the hitting, the running, as he has done the last couple nights, doesn’t affect him. I can only go by what he and the training staff are telling me. So, unless I hear otherwise, that hitting compromises his health, then I’m going to keep putting him in the lineup.” Sounds like he’s staying in the lineup, no matter what.
So, the Dodgers are looking at a wild week leading up to the August 3rd deadline. They’re going to be fascinating to watch as they try to balance current needs with beefing up that farm system. Will Lauer and Call be gone? Will Snell hit that 75-pitch mark? It’s all happening fast, and it could totally reshape their roster for the rest of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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