When you have a lineup that consists of three sure-fire hall of famers at the top of the order in Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts, you're expected to win a lot of ball games. The Dodgers have certainly done that. They currently have the second-best record in the National League at 46-30, with a nine-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West. But to say there was probably more expected out of this team goes without saying.
The expectations for the Dodgers are wildly unfair, but with the teams that Los Angeles has assembled over the last several years, falling short of those expectations has become the norm, not the exception. That's why there's still, even with this year's team that has a run differential of plus-106 (second-best in the majors), a lot left to be desired.
Granted, there are good reasons out of the team's control as to why they haven't run away with their division or the National League as of yet. Injuries have become an issue for the Dodgers, particularly to two of their most important players in Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who look to have lengthy stays on the injured list. And even before those two, the Dodgers were already down third baseman Max Muncy, who has been sidelined since May 15 with an oblique injury. He just recently hit a setback, and his return is unknown.
The Dodgers have also been attempting to assemble a suitable rotation that keeps getting reshuffled. As mentioned, Yamamoto went down recently with a rotator cuff strain, but now Walker Buehler is back on the 15-day injured list with right hip inflammation. He had become a liability for the Dodgers as of late, giving up seven earned runs in his last start against the Colorado Rockies. At least Bobby Miller is now back from a shoulder injury, and Clayton Kershaw is working through rehab assignments.
This goes to say that the Dodgers will definitely be active as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches, much like they always have been over the last several years. Here's how they can nail the deadline with some key additions.
Dodgers trade for Jesús Luzardo to add to the rotation
While Buehler's recent struggles and sidelining weren't exactly how the Dodgers imagined their rotation going, they still have one of the better rotations in all of MLB. Getting to the postseason should be doable with guys like Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and returning Miller and Kershaw. There's also Dustin May and Kyle Hurt, who should be coming off the injured list later this year as well. Not to mention Landon Knack, who is replacing Buehler, has done well in his four games with the Dodgers this season, boasting a 2.61 ERA in 20.2 innings pitched.
But there's still probably some uneasiness here if you're the Dodgers. As good as Glasnow has been this season, his injury history has to be considered. The same goes for Kershaw, who often struggles when the postseason arrives anyway. Also, the youth of Miller and Knack is not ideal for the high-pressure situations of postseason play. That's why in a perfect world, the Dodgers go out and trade for Miami Marlins' Jesús Luzardo.
At 25-49, the Marlins are one of the worst teams in the league, making them automatic sellers. Luzardo's name has been linked to a number of teams since he's one of the few good players on the club. His 5.00 ERA this season doesn't quite reflect his talent, but there's a high ceiling for the 26-year-old.
Dodgers trade for Paul DeJong to help infield woes
The Dodgers are in a peculiar spot with Betts this season. He's been moved between both spots in the middle infield before mainly sticking with shortstop. The Dodgers would likely love to have him back in the outfield, but they have yet to find any great options for his replacement at short, especially with Gavin Lux, the team's current second baseman, continuing to struggle at the plate.
Miguel Rojas has currently taken over in Betts' absence, but that still doesn't cover Lux's issues. That leaves the perfect option for Los Angeles to go out and acquire Paul DeJong from the Chicago White Sox, who undoubtedly will be sellers at this year's MLB Trade Deadline.
DeJong's numbers this season are by no means eye-popping, but they are compared to the last two seasons where he made a combined 94 plate appearances and hit .126. He's currently slashing .237/.285/.469 with 14 homers and 29 RBIs, according to Baseball Reference. He's one of the best players on a White Sox team that has been historically bad this season. Putting him in a stacked Dodgers lineup could only make him better. His defense leaves something to be desired, but it'd be good enough if he produces well at the plate. Plus, if it could possibly move Betts back to the outfield, he would definitely be worth it.
Reunion with Kenley Jansen
The Dodgers still have what is an MLB-ranked eighth-best bullpen, but adding depth is always key down the stretch of the season, and especially in the postseason. After all, the Dodgers have already had some key injuries to their relief corps this season. Closer Evan Phillips just recently returned from a hamstring strain, while Joe Kelly has been down with a shoulder strain and is now on the 60-day injured list, and Brusdar Graterol has yet to even make an appearance this season after suffering an injury during spring training.
So, why not add old friend Kenley Jansen to the mix? Jansen would definitely be welcomed back with open arms in Los Angeles since he was a staple for the club for years. He's also done typical Jansen things this year with the Red Sox. He's currently sporting a 2.59 ERA with 13 saves on the season. This would just be a perfect move for the Dodgers to cap off at the MLB Trade Deadline.
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