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The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2024 World Series largely because of their offense. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman led the way as Los Angeles defeated the New York Yankees for the title. Their title defense season is off to a good start, but it has come at a cost. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the last healthy Dodgers starting pitcher from their Opening Day rotation.
Dave Roberts has done as good a job as can be expected dealing with the injuries in his rotation. Luckily for him, Yamamoto is in the middle of a National League Cy Young campaign. The Dodgers got Clayton Kershaw back, along with Tony Gonsolin, a welcome sight for Los Angeles fans. However, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Ohtani are weeks away from returning to the mound.
While the Dodgers sit atop the NL West despite their injury problems, the gap between them and the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants is small. The team needs more capable arms to fill the gaps while their star pitchers are absent from the rotation. Luckily for them, the trade market is full of starters that could give the Dodgers a much-needed boost.
Here are three pitchers that Los Angeles could target as short-term replacements before their stars return later in the year.
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano
Tomoyuki Sugano played the majority of his professional career in Japan. He came over to Major League Baseball this season and has been good for the Orioles so far this season. Sugano carries an ERA of 3.07 and has a WHIP of 1.02, both of which are within the top 30 of all starters in the league. He might be 35 years old, but is one of the few bright spots on Baltimore's roster in his rookie season.
The Orioles are in a tailspin in 2025. The team fired Brandon Hyde over the weekend and are searching for a way to fight back into contention in the American League East. However, they face an uphill climb without Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish. The trade deadline is a pivotal point of the season for Baltimore, and they could be big players if the season does turn itself around.
If the Orioles sell at the deadline, Sugano is a name is watch. Contenders will ask about his availability because he is such a consistent presence. For a team like the Dodgers that are missing so many starters, he presents a high-floor, low-ceiling veteran option. Also, Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki would help Sugano feel welcome on his new team.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott
Andrew Abbott and the Reds find themselves stuck in the middle of the NL Central behind the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. They have the talent to contend, but consistency has eluded them. Abbott is one of the better pitchers in their rotation, though, even though he is only in his third season in the major leagues. At 25 years old, his name is an intriguing one as the deadline inches closer.
Teams looking to build their teams up are unlikely to move on from a 25-year-old starting pitcher who has shown promise. However the Dodgers have a surplus in talent across the field and can off the Reds whatever they need to make the deal happen. Bringing Abbott in gives Los Angeles something that a veteran arm can't provide them with; a long-term option on the mound.
Even though Roberts and the Dodgers want to win back-to-back titles, their future also needs to be put into consideration. Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki are the core of their rotation moving forward, but bringing in another young arm would help a lot. Abbott would cost the team more than most of their other options, but in the long-term, he could be worth the hefty price.
Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs
The Athletics are in between homes at the moment, but the team has shown flashes. They lurked behind the Dodgers and other top teams in the league in the standings for a while, too. It was a welcome change for a team that has struggled, but it didn't last. They are back at the bottom of the AL West, but their roster shows promise.
Springs, on the other hand, is one of the team's veteran pitchers. At 32 years old, he is at the end of his prime, but is a perfect target for contenders. In the postseason, some starters shift into bullpen rolls as the rotation shrinks, and Springs can be that pitcher for a team competing for a title. His numbers aren't as good as they used to be, but he is winning games and throwing more innings than almost any other year in his career.
Roberts needs pitchers who can start games right now, but Springs could prove to be a versatile piece. That, combined with the fact that his price tag is amongst the lowest of any starting pitcher that could be on the market, puts him on Los Angeles' list of targets.
The Dodgers are full of talent, both in the field and on the mound. However, injuries have them looking at all of their options, including trades to give them more pitching. They have the resources to make almost any deal happen, giving Los Angeles the luxury of combing through all of their options and making the deal that gives them the best chance to add another title to their storied history.
