The Los Angeles Dodgers and Lucas Giolito make sense as a potential fit for one another ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Sure enough, the Dodgers seem to agree as it was reported on Thursday that LA is interested in the Chicago White Sox's ace. However, there aren't many stars pitchers expected to be available ahead of the MLB trade deadline. As a result, acquiring Giolito will come at a steep cost.

The White Sox are going to sell ahead of the deadline and Giolito should be made available. Chicago wants to ensure that they receive the best possible return in a trade though. Chicago will hold onto some key players, but Giolito may net them their biggest return if Dylan Cease isn't traded. Following a forgettable 2022 campaign, Giolito is back on track in 2023. He's pitched to the tune of a 3.45 ERA and has struck out 117 hitters across a league-leading 19 starts.

So what must the Dodgers surrender in order to acquire the White Sox's ace? Here's how the perfect Dodgers' trade offer for Lucas Giolito must look.

Perfect Dodgers' Lucas Giolito trade offer to White Sox

The Dodgers will need to give up at least one top 10 prospect to land Giolito. Their top-tier prospects, like Diego Cartaya, Bobby Miller, and Michael Busch will not be included in this deal. Headlining the trade will be LA's current No. 5 overall prospect (per MLB.com), OF Andy Pages.

The Dodgers will need to add two other top 15 prospects in the trade. The final offer will look similar to this:

White Sox receive: OF Andy Pages (Dodgers' No. 5 prospect), RHP River Ryan (Dodgers' No. 11 prospect), and C/INF Yeiner Fernandez (Dodgers' No. 14 prospect)

Dodgers receive: RHP Lucas Giolito

Breaking down the Dodgers' trade offer

Dodgers, Lucas Giolito

Pages is a 22-year old outfielder with a high-ceiling. If Los Angeles wants to avoid giving up 4-6 prospects in this trade, adding a future star like Pages will be important. He features an electric arm from the outfield and projects to be a powerful MLB hitter at some point.

Pages is close to being MLB ready. He's a player who could realistically be on an MLB roster for Opening Day in 2024. The White Sox have famously endured offensive struggles over the past couple of seasons, so adding a player like Pages would be a smart move.

The Dodgers just continue to produce impressive pitching prospects. River Ryan is no exception. In many farm systems, he'd be a top ten prospect. He checks in at No. 11 for the Dodgers though. At 24-years old, Ryan features a quality fastball to go along with three steady breaking pitches. His control is still developing, but Ryan may end up becoming a front-of-the-line pitcher down the road.

Finally, the versatile Yeiner Fernandez, LA's No. 14 prospect, concludes the trade. Fernandez, 20, is a solid contact hitter. Other areas of his game still need improvement, but acquiring a player who can catch and play infield will intrigue the White Sox. Chicago could ultimately decide which position they want him to play upon acquiring him.

He'd have a chance to become one of the better offensive catchers in baseball if the team were to decide to keep him behind the plate.

Will LA actually trade for Giolito?

It would be shocking to see Giolito still in a White Sox uniform on August 2nd. The team is clearly headed for a rebuild and dealing him away right now makes sense.

The Dodgers will face competition in trying to acquire him. One team to keep an eye on is the Baltimore Orioles. The O's need to add pitching help and they are one of the few teams in MLB with a farm system that rivals the Dodgers. Nevertheless, look for Los Angeles to make a strong pursuit for a Lucas Giolito trade.