How injuries to stars may affect Dodgers' trade deadline plans
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
After two of their stars suffered injuries this past weekend, will the Los Angeles Dodgers become buyers before the trade deadline passes on July 30?
On Sunday, shortstop Mookie Betts, a seven-time All-Star, broke his left hand when he was hit by a 98 mph fastball in the Dodgers' 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Manager Dave Roberts also confirmed L.A. would place starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the 15-day injured list with a right rotator cuff strain. The 25-year-old has posted a 2.92 ERA in 14 games this season.
Per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, Roberts expects Betts and Yamamoto to return this season. However, will the stars be 100 percent when they come back?
"How can the Dodgers count on Betts to play shortstop at a championship level in October after missing the next several weeks? How can they rely on Yamamoto to be their No. 2 starter in the playoffs after he broke down just two months into the season?" wrote Hernandez. "In both cases, they can't."
Considering the potential price, the Dodgers may not be able to acquire another starting pitcher and shortstop before the deadline. During a recent episode of ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" podcast, Buster Onley noted that "Yamamoto's injury feels more damaging," so L.A. should prioritize adding another arm. Plus, Betts' backup, Miguel Rojas, has posted a solid .278 batting average in 42 games this season.
The Athletic's Jim Bowden suggested the Dodgers trade seven players to the Chicago White Sox for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, relief pitcher Michael Kopech and centerfielder Luis Robert Jr.
It's a massive proposal, but it could be worth it. In 15 games this season, Crochet has the second-most strikeouts (116) in baseball behind Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (125 in 15 games).
"Luis Robert Jr. improves their defense in center field and adds length to the bottom half of the lineup," wrote Bowden. "Garrett Crochet fits into the top of the rotation behind Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto once the latter returns from the injured list. Michael Kopech gives them another power arm option for the back of their bullpen."
We'll have to wait and see how the Dodgers approach the deadline, but injuries have clearly created complications for a team that spent over a billion dollars this offseason and consequently entered the season with World Series-or-bust expectations.
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