MLB 2023: 5 players Los Angeles Dodgers could target before the trade deadline
After carrying their division for nine out of the past ten seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers are now staring down the prospect of missing the postseason entirely.
With a record of 39-33, the Dodgers are now four games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West. Moreover, after a three-game series sweep to the San Francisco Giants in which they were outscored 29-8, the Dodgers are also a half game behind their counterparts in San Francisco.
Drastic times call for drastic measures, and the deep-pocketed Los Angeles Dodgers might be a very busy team if things do not pick up by the Aug. 2 trade deadline. Today, we will be having a look at what those moves might look like.
5 players the Los Angeles Dodgers will be watching come deadline day
5. Sonny Gray
Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins has quietly put together a better season than most other MLB starters. The 33-year-old right hander has a record of 4-1 and a 2.37 ERA across 14 starts. A free agent by the end of the year, Gray could be a great option for the Dodgers to beef up their starting pitching before a postseason run. The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely need to pay for Gray with a big bat in return.
4. David Robertson
When the New York Mets learned that star closer Edwin Diaz would miss the entire season with an patellar tear, the team knew that they needed to find alternatives. Veteran reliever David Robertson has done a great job, registering 10 saves in 16 opportunities, amassing a 1.72 ERA. The Los Angeles Dodgers currently have a bullpen ERA of 5.04, which is the worst in the NL. With Diaz likely coming back to the Mets next year, Robertson could be a piece that the Mets are willing to shop around come deadline day.
3. David Bednar
Just like acquiring David Robetson would help the Dodgers' bullpen credentials, going after Pittsburgh Pirates reliever David Bednar would be another smart move for the team. The 27-year-old Pirates closer has 14 saves on the season to accompany his 1.72 ERA. The Los Angeles Dodgers used to have star closers like Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel. With only a few months remaining on his $745,000 contract, the Dodgers could certainly position themselves as a strong option for Bednar.
2. Whit Merrifield
Whit Merrifield of the Toronto Blue Jays has positioned himself as one of the league's brightest utility stars so far this season. A .305 hitter with 18 stolen bases, Merrifield is in the league's top ten in both categories. With some questions surrounding Miguel Vargas' ability to singlehandedly man second, Merrifield gives the Dodgers a great, experienced utility man to use in a variety of different playoff situations.
1. Shohei Ohtani
It does not exactly feel like ingenious advice to go after one of the best players in history, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the unqiue position to do so. A free agent at the end of the season, some believe the Dodgers are Shohei's ultimate destination anyway. Ohtani is unlikely to re-sign with the Los Angeles Angels, and dealing him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for some big names could work out for both sides.