The Los Angeles Dodgers had a fairly underwhelming 2022 MLB trade deadline. Sure, they acquired Joey Gallo, but that was their standout move ahead of the deadline. With that being said, this is the Dodgers we are talking about. Their roster is already stacked so they did not really need to add a whole lot. But should the Dodgers have made any specific moves?
Let's talk about one trade the Dodgers should have made ahead of the deadline.
1 MLB trade deadline move Dodgers should have made
The Los Angeles Dodgers have plenty of depth. Their offense is loaded and they pitch the lights out. Their offseason addition of Tyler Anderson has worked out without question.
One could have made an argument for Los Angeles upgrading their outfield depth. But they did that by acquiring Joey Gallo. Sure, Gallo was enduring an incredibly troublesome season in New York with the Yankees. But he features impressive defense and possesses major power potential. If Gallo finds his stroke at the plate, the trade will be a steal for the Dodgers.
The rotation has dealt with a few injuries so adding another starting pitcher would have made sense. Luis Castillo was linked to the Dodgers until the Seattle Mariners came out of nowhere and acquired him. Nonetheless, the Dodgers realistically didn't need extra pitching. Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urias, and Tyler Anderson have all been excellent. Walker Buehler is expected to return at some point as well.
But the one area where the Dodgers should have added was the bullpen. The relief core hasn't been awful by any means. But Craig Kimbrel has been inconsistent in the back end of the ‘pen. Trading for one high-profile reliever would have been an instrumental acquisition.
The move the Dodgers should have made
The relief market wasn't very deep ahead of the MLB trade deadline. But there were options on the trade block who ended up not getting moved. Two of those pitchers included David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Gregory Soto of the Detroit Tigers.
Bednar has produced impressive numbers in Pittsburgh. But Soto stands out.
The Tigers' left-hander has made the All-Star team in each of the past two years. He currently owns an ERA south of 2.20. He is holding opponents to a .198 batting average and has 20 saves compared to just 2 blown saves. He doesn't receive much attention because he's on an underwhelming ball club. But Gregory Soto is one of the best relievers in baseball. And at 27-years old, he is still in the prime of his career.
The Dodgers could have utilized him in a number of different roles. One might make an argument that Soto would have slotted in as the team's closer. However, Los Angeles also could have made him the primary 8th inning option. Soto also profiles as a situational left-hander.
If Dave Roberts needed to retire a string of talented left-handed batters, he could have called upon Gregory Soto. Regardless of which role they used him in, Soto certainly would have been a perfect trade acquisition.
As it stands, the Dodgers are still in prime position to make a World Series run. Yes, the Padres added Juan Soto. But the Dodgers' roster features some of the best players in MLB.
So I wouldn't worry about the Dodgers. But they would Dave benefitted from trading for Gregory Soto.
Follow Us
Subscribe