The Los Angeles Dodgers are playing well in 2023 despite dealing with a number of injuries. Their pitching depth has been tested to say the least, with Julio Urias and Dustin May both spending time on the injured list and Noah Syndergaard struggling mightily in the rotation. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Dodgers make a big splash ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Shohei Ohtani is a player the Dodgers will obviously be linked to if he's made available by the Los Angeles Angels. Additionally, stars such as Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians and Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox are fairly obvious trade candidates for the Dodgers as well.
Today, though, we are going to take a look at three potential Dodgers' trade candidates who haven't been discussed quite as much as those aforementioned star players.
Here are three early 2023 MLB trade deadline candidates for the Dodgers.
Marcus Stroman, Chicago Cubs
Marcus Stroman is pitching like a true ace in 2023. Along with Shane Bieber, Stroman is expected to headline the starting pitching market ahead of the MLB trade deadline. The Cubs' ace has pitched to the tune of a superb 2.59 ERA, and should draw interest from all over the league.
With that being said, Stroman is going to hit free agency following the '23 campaign, limiting his trade value since teams will only be acquiring him for a few months barring an extension.
The Dodgers value their minor league depth and may prefer to acquire a pitcher like Stroman who will be less costly than other players with longer contracts.
From a team roster perspective, the fit certainly works. The Dodgers need a Syndergaard replacement soon. Stroman makes sense for Los Angeles.
Amed Rosario, Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians may opt not to sell in 2023 given the state of the American League Central. Cleveland is still in the race despite holding just a 25-32 record as of this story's publication.
That said, Amed Rosario could still be made available. Andres Gimenez is a candidate to take over shortstop at some point for the Guardians, and Cleveland also features a number of talented young shortstops waiting in the minor leagues. Rosario has struggled defensively this year but offers offensive potential.
His offensive numbers (.226/.272/.317) in 2023 have been underwhelming, but he still could provide an upgrade for the Dodgers at shortstop given how little production they have received from the position.
There's a possibility that Cleveland may package Bieber and Rosario together in a deal, which would obviously lead to the Dodgers having to surrender a significant amount of prospects. If they acquire Rosario in a solo deal though, the price wouldn't be nearly as steep.
Joe Kelly, Chicago White Sox
The Dodgers should re-acquire Joe Kelly?
Kelly is in the midst of a decent campaign with the White Sox and has emerged as a trade candidate. The Dodgers' bullpen hasn't performed as well in 2023 as expected, so trading for Kelly would be worth it. After all, Los Angeles wouldn't need to give up many prospects in the deal, and the upside is immense given Kelly's previous experience with the Dodgers.
The most intriguing aspect of bringing Kelly back to Los Angeles is that he's no stranger to big games, playing a role in the Dodgers' 2020 World Series run. It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers display any interest in the flame-throwing relief pitcher.
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