Dodgers' Final Guide, Ideal Targets for 2024 MLB Trade Deadline
The Los Angeles Dodgers have spent much of the 2024 season navigating injuries, especially to the pitching staff with 32 different pitchers overall and 15 different starting pitchers already used this year.
With Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw returning this week and both Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller also on the comeback trail, it remains to be seen how pressing a need the starting rotation will be on deadline day.
However, the front office seems ready to aim high in their trade efforts while gearing up for a potential title push.
This year's trade deadline is on Tuesday, July 30. Teams will have until 6 p.m. ET on the day to put the finishing touches to their roster for the stretch run.
Ahead we have taken a closer look at their buyer vs. seller decision while also highlighting a pair of ideal targets to address their roster needs.
Buyers or Sellers?
1 of 3
There is no doubt the Dodgers will be buyers, and they could be poised to make as big of a splash as any team at this year's deadline.
The front office is "eyeing big names to fill their biggest needs" at the deadline, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, and with money to spend and a farm system that might be lacking in top-tier talent but is flush with depth they can wheel and deal with the best of them.
They have already been linked to Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal and the rest of the top-tier pitching market, while they are also shopping for an outfield bat and have been tied to Luis Robert Jr. and Randy Arozarena.
This team is built to win now, they're getting healthy at the right time, and they appear to be gearing up to make waves at the deadline.
Ideal Target: OF Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
2 of 3
The speculative fit of Luis Robert Jr. is an exciting prospect in an already stacked Dodgers lineup, but a more realistic target is Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena.
With three straight 20/20 seasons under his belt and another in the works this year, he is one of the best power-speed threats in baseball, and he is just a year removed from starting the All-Star Game.
The 29-year-old is having a down year at the plate, hitting just .209/.315/.392 for a 103 OPS+, though he has still tallied 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 35 RBI and 15 steals in 98 games.
His $8.1 million salary makes him one of the highest-paid players on the Rays roster, and that price tag will only climb in arbitration. He is controllable through the 2026 season, but will almost certainly price himself out of Tampa Bay before that point.
Buying low could give the Dodgers another star-level offensive player, and a change of scenery could be just what he needs to jump start his season.
Ideal Target: LHP Garrett Crochet
3 of 3
With Clayton Kershaw playing on another one-year deal and Walker Buehler headed for free agency at season's end, it makes sense that the Dodgers would be targeting controllable starting pitching, even if their current rotation is finally getting healthy.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today hinted at the idea of a huge blockbuster deal with the White Sox.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers have spoken to the White Sox about a blockbuster that would include Crochet, center fielder Luis Robert and perhaps reliever Michael Kopech, too," wrote Nightengale.
It's hard to envision what a package like that would cost, but it would almost certainly have to include young outfielder Andy Pages, top prospects Josue De Paula and Dalton Rushing, at least one of their MLB-ready young arms and several other quality pieces.
At the very least, that confirms the team's interest in Crochet, and if they can't figure out all the pieces of that massive blockbuster a smaller deal for the breakout ace would no doubt be the top priority.
Crochet, 25, has a 3.07 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and an AL-leading 157 strikeouts in 111.1 innings in his first season as a starter.
.png?w=256)
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
