The Los Angeles Dodgers are typically known for their ability to develop starting pitching. The team has usually been able to rely on depth in the rotation. But it became clear that moves need to be made following this past postseason.
In all fairness, the Dodgers dealt with bad luck. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin went down with injuries during the season, while Walker Buehler wasn't able to return in 2023 amid his Tommy John rehab. The Noah Syndergaard experiment did not work either. Additionally, Julio Urias has likely thrown his last pitch in a Dodger uniform following his domestic violence allegation.
Future Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw's future not just with the Dodgers, but in MLB in general amid retirement rumors, is in question as well.
All of this leads to the question of how will Los Angeles rebuild their pitching rotation? Free agency may be an option, but Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times recently pointed out two potential trade candidates for the ball club.
Dodgers: Corbin Burnes, Tyler Glasnow trades?
Harris wrote in a recent article that the Dodgers are “expected” to pursue a Corbin Burnes trade with the Milwaukee Brewers if the star pitcher is made available. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow was also mentioned as a possible “alternative” by Harris for LA.
So why are Burnes and Glasnow, who happen to be star hurlers, expected to be mentioned in trade talks? After all, the Brewers and Rays are contending teams.
Both are also small market ball clubs who need to think about the future of their organizations. Burnes and Glasnow will hit the free agency market following the 2024 season. That means there is a chance Milwaukee and Tampa Bay could lose the pitchers in free agency for almost nothing, potentially receiving just a compensatory draft pick amid their possible departures.
Instead, the Rays and Brewers could look to capitalize on the pitchers' current values and cash in on a trade during the 2023-24 offseason. Teams like the Dodgers, or other pitcher-hungry contending squads, will probably be willing to surrender a good deal of MLB/prospect capital in return for one/both pitchers.
Glasnow
Glasnow features all of the potential in the word. His blazing fastball is offset by a mixture of quality breaking pitches. For Glasnow, the issue has been injury concerns over the years.
He was able to pitch in 21 games during the 2023 campaign. Not a full season, but still enough contests to make a serious impact. However, those 21 games were also Glasnow's career-high in years he's been a primary starter.
In 2018, he appeared in 45 games between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Rays (he was traded during the season), but he only started 11 of those games.
Trading for him would provide a high-risk, high-reward scenario for the Dodgers.
Burnes
Burnes, meanwhile, has been quite durable. He's pitched in at least 28 games over the past three seasons, even leading the league with 33 starts in 2022.
And yes, although the quantity is nice, the quality has also been present for Burnes.
He's fresh off a 2023 season that saw him post a 3.39 ERA. Burnes also turned in a 2.94 ERA in 2022 and league-leading 2.43 ERA in 2021. The Brewers' right-hander was ultimately named the NL Cy Young award winner during the '21 campaign.
Burnes is a strikeout machine as well, recording over 200 strikeouts in three consecutive seasons.
Dodgers' trade plans?
The Dodgers will benefit from any pitching help they can get. Turning to free agency is going to be option, but these trades would make sense for the right price.
Agreeing to a contract extension with Burnes or Glasnow, if LA acquires either pitcher, would probably be a priority. Los Angeles doesn't want to risk trading star prospects for just one year of a good pitcher.
This will be a situation to monitor throughout the offseason for Dodgers fans.
Follow Us
Subscribe