The Los Angeles Dodgers currently reside in first place in the National League West. The team has noticed the San Francisco Giants in the rearview mirror recently, adding to the importance of playing their best baseball in the second half of the season.

Now that the MLB trade deadline has come and gone, the Dodgers are allowing the smoke to clear as they work to utilize the players Manager Dave Roberts currently has on the roster. The team's trade deadline acquisitions have already made an immediate impact. The Dodgers also had their eye on Justin Verlander, who crushed Dodgers fans' hearts with an honest admission.

According to a rumor shared by The New York Post, the Dodgers were in on not just Eduardo Rodriguez, who sent a text to Mookie Betts after his trade veto, but also Justin Verlander and Scherzer.

The Dodgers are said to have made an offer of “multiple prospects” on the level of Luisangel Acuna, the shortstop/center fielder the Astros sent to New York in the Scherzer deal with the Texas Rangers.

With the deadline over, the focus now turns to the upcoming return of Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers' ace lefty and legendary starter. Kershaw was expected to face hitters on Thursday,

Kershaw's last game was a 5-0 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He pitched six scoreless innings and allowed a single hit. He then went 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA over 33 innings across five starts.

The Dodgers are also hoping to get Julio Urias back. Urias has a 7-6 record with a 4.98 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 15 total starts, and will look to improve upon those numbers as the pennant race heats up in August.