No Urgency To Make A Trade

As of 06/08/2026 – 8 weeks until the trade deadline.

You know…it is way, way, way, way too early to be discussing deadline trades.  Right now there are just a handful of teams that would be considered as sure sellers: Rockies, Angels, and probably Giants.  The Tigers and Royals are only 5.5 games out of the WC in the AL (and in a weak division) and the Mets are only 5.0 games out of the WC in the NL.  Every other team is within 5.0 games.

None of those three teams will be trading with LAD.  I am not sure the Rockies have anyone that AF/BG would be interested in.  Maybe Kyle Karros, but there is ZERO reason for Colorado to trade him.

Detroit says that Tarik Skubal is off limits right now.  They believe they can get back in the race if Skubal is healthy.

“Rival executives believe that Skubal will need to make at least three starts to convince teams he’s healthy. Perhaps even more important, the Tigers also have to convince themselves they have no chance to get back in the playoff race before moving him,” Bob Nightengale wrote.

Some are speculating the payroll is a impediment to trading for Skubal by some teams. 

Payrolls are allocated ratably over the “Championship Season”.  For 2026, that is March 26 through September 27 or 186 days.  So whoever acquires Tarik Skubal is responsible for day of trade through September 27.  The trade deadline day for 2026, is Monday, August 3.  There is no reason for Detroit to trade Skubal before August 3.  That would be 56 days or 30.108% of the remainder of the MLB season.  Skubal’s 2026 salary is $32MM.  If traded on August 3, the acquiring team would assume 30.108% of the contract or $9.63MM.  What MLB franchise cannot afford that?  If they cannot, they need to sell the team.  They may choose not to, but they can afford to.

There are those who say the Dodgers do not need Skubal.  First, needing and wanting are two different scenarios.  Did the Dodgers need Kyle Tucker at $60MM/year for 4 years?  They apparently wanted him.

Some argue that the Dodgers should not use their top OF prospects for a trade for a rental.  I am guessing for some, it would be better to keep De Paula, Sirota, Quintero, Hope, and Tibbs III onto the Ryan Ward path rather than trying to improve the team in a trade.  The last time I looked, there was only three OF in the lineup.  Four of the five are AAA or AA and playing well.  That makes them MLB Ready.  With Ohtani as the DH, there is even less of a need for a OF/DH.

Andy Pages was a Super 2 player so he will have 4 years of arbitration beginning with year 1 in 2027, making him a free agent in 2031.  I can see the Dodgers buying Pages out of his 4 years of arbitration and 2-3 years of free agency.  The Dodgers do have potential CF talent, but Pages is going to be an All Star at 25.  Pages would be my CF for the long haul.

I said it at the signing and I continue to say it.  I am okay with Tucker being a Dodger, just not at $60MM a year for 4 years.  That is 7.5 fWAR for the next four years (counting 2026).  Tucker has never been a 5.0 fWAR player much less a 7.5 fWAR player.  He is at 0.8 fWAR ($6.3MM value) thus far in 2026.  Tucker is not a super marketable player that the team can get value from endorsements or partnerships with Japanese Corporations.  His contract is so onerous that he will be with LAD for three more years.

Teoscar Hernández.  He has one more year on his contract (plus an option year).  Maybe the Dodgers trade him, maybe they do not.  If the Dodgers have to pare their payroll next year, so will other teams.  How many teams are going to want take on $23,421,526 payroll.  That is $16,921,526 in salary and $6.5MM buyout of his 2028 option.  Who wants to absorb that cost?

So, unless the Dodgers want a $23MM bench role player, the OF prospects are going to have to wait another year.  Even so, that is ONE potential OF with FIVE candidates.  What is going to happen to the other four…and with Kendall George and Zach Ehrhard as potential 4^th OF.

Maybe fans are happy to have the best farm system rather than moving some for that difference maker.  And yes, Tarik Skubal is a difference.  That being said, I would not want to trade De Paula or Sirota.  Because Quintero is a year or two behind the other four, he would also be closer to untouchable.  So Jeff Passan’s package of RHSP Emmet Sheehan, OF Zyhir Hope, and SS Aidan West might be acceptable. Each of them have excellent replacements, including Sheehan (River Ryan and Gavin Stone).

Milwaukee can certainly put together a competitive package of prospects (better than LAD if they so choose).  Braves could put a formidable package together.  Better than Sheehan/Hope/West?

Dbacks?  They have shown a willingness to spend $$$, but they have a bottom third tier of prospects.  They have 1 top 100 prospect in OF Ryan Waldschmidt (#59), and he is currently playing with the Dbacks and doing just fine. 

Dodgerdad mentioned he would be interested in trading for Joe Ryan.  The Dodgers could have more of an opportunity to acquire Skubal than Ryan.  Ryan is controlled through next year and will be arb eligible one more year.  He is pulling down $6.2MM this year.  Every contending team will be looking at Joe Ryan, so the prospect capital will be high, and could be higher than Skubal.

Two Minnesota top 100 prospects are OF, minimizing the need for another OF prospect.  They are going to want pitching in return.

AF/BG will swim in the deep water with Skubal trade talks, but IMO they will climb the ladder out of the pool at the end.  Sure San Diego or Milwaukee or Chicago Cubs or Tampa Bay could make a trade. Skubal will be owed around $10MM at August 1.  Every one of those teams can afford that.  Milwaukee (7) and Tampa Bay (6) have the most Top 100 prospects in their organization, and would be in position to make such a trade.  This would be contrary to how both teams make trades, but the chance at a WS may change their minds.  San Diego has 1 Top 100 prospect, C Ethan Salas, so they are going to have to overwhelm Detroit with quantity prospects, which they have done.  Detroit will probably require at least one MLB SP and one MLB ready SP to pique their interest.

Looking back at the deadline trades for pitchers by LAD, I cannot find one that had multiple years of team control. If I forgot one, I am sure someone is going to remind me.

• Rich Hill (2016) – with Josh Reddick  for Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes and Frankie Montas.
• Yu Darvish (2017) – for A.J. Alexy, Willie Calhoun and Brendon Davis.
• Max Scherzer (2021) – with Trea Turner for Gerardo Carrillo (minors), Donovan Casey (minors), Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz.
• Lance Lynn (2023) – with Joe Kelly for Jordan Leasure, Nick Nastrini and Trayce Thompson.
• Also in on Eduardo Rodriguez (Lynn was afterthought to ERod)
• Jack Flaherty (2024) – for Thayron Liranzo (minors) and Trey Sweeney.

AF also most often chooses not to re-sign any of the rentals.  Well, except for Dick Mountain, and did work out. It also shows that AF is not going to overpay for a rental.

AF prefers rental pitchers.  He does not seem interested in trading for pitchers with multiple years of control.

IMO, NYM’s Freddy Peralta is a more likely choice for LAD as rotation depth. 

• Freddy Peralta is expected to seek a contract similar to Max Fried’s eight-year, $218 million deal
• Teams unwilling to meet that contract ask might be reluctant to trade for him

Before he got hurt, I thought Kris Bubic was a good candidate.  He is currently on the IL with elbow soreness.  He has started his throwing program.  All interested teams will monitor his rehab. 

Sandy Alcantara?

One name that might be of interest (probably not), and the cost will not be high in any way, is Baltimore’s LHSP Trevor Rogers.  Don’t look at this year, look at what he did last year.  Could the Dodgers pitching gurus “fix” him as well?  Probably too much of a risk for a rental this year  Maybe as a FA next Winter.

Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha do not check the rental box.

LHSP Eric Lauer is not special.  But he is a competent #6 starter.  Will probably not make the October playoff roster, but he might help the team get there.

Roki Sasaki has already proven he can be a legit late inning high leverage reliever in the playoffs.  River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan are wild cards here.  Both are capable.  They have 4 months to prove they can be counted on for October.  Gavin Stone will be ready for ST in 2027.

Bottom line, as a commoner, I have no clue what the Dodgers will do.  Tarik Skubal does not guarantee a 3-peat, but it sure does enhance their chances.  If the cost is not too much, I am okay with a trade for him.  If they do not trade for him, I am okay with that.  As of today, I would be okay if the Dodgers did not make any trade.

ROOKIE LEAGUE GAME SUMMARY REPORTS

ACL Dodgers 9 – ACL Brewers 5

RHSP Jose Taveras allowed a triple and single in the 1^st inning giving the Brewers a 1-0 lead.  Taveras pitched a total of 3.0 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits, 3 BB, and 6 K.

In the 2^nd inning Dodgers scored 3.  2B Reyli Mariano drew a BB with one out.  C Eduardo Rojas was HBP.  Mariano scored a run with a throwing error after a ground out.  LH Jose Gonzalez and CF Jhon Gil walked.  Rojas scored on a WP and Gonzalez scored on another error.

RHP Josehp Marte allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, 1 BB and 1 K in the 4^th inning.

The Dodgers scored solo run in the 5^th and 6^th.  In the 5^th, PH Oswaldo Osorio doubled (2) and scored after 3 walks.  Gonzalez homered (1) in the 6^th.

LHP Peter Bonilla kept the Brewers of the board in those innings.  No hits, 2 BB, and 4 K.

In the 7^th, Mariano singled and stole 2^nd, and moved to 3^rd on a balk.  Rojas and RF Able Lorenzo each singled with Mariano scoring on Rojas’ single.  Rojas later scored before Gonzalez was tagged out on a pickoff and failed SB attempt.

LHRP Michael Ramirez struck out the side in the 7^th, allowing a single and no runs.  In the 8^th, Ramirez loaded the bases with a single and 2 BB.  He got two outs, and had the batter at 1-2, but uncorked a WP allowing 1 run  to score before getting the batter to fly out. 

The Dodgers scored a pair in the 9^th without the benefit of a hit.  One batter reached on an error, 3 walks, and a sac fly plated 2 (1 earned).

RHSP Jose Vasquez pitched a scoreless 9^th to close out the game.

• Oswaldo Osorio – 2-4, 1 run, double (2)
• Jose Gonzalez – 1-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR (1)

Box Score

DSL Padres Gold 18 – DSL LAD Mega 5

There was actually a LAD Mega pitcher who will get a mention.  19 year old RHP Ivan Pacheco.  He pitched 1.0 scoreless inning, no hits, walking 2, 1 K. That was Pacheco’s 3^rd game (out of 5) and 2.2 IP.  He has not allowed a run or hit.  He has walked 5 and struck out 2.

Down 13-1 in the 6^th LAD Mega scored 4.  SS Jose Victorino doubled (1),.  1B Jesus Villaflor singled.  With runners on 1^st and 3^rd, C Ezequiel Aparicio hit his 1^st HR.  LF Erny Orellana reached on an error, and scored on a 2-out double (1) by 3B Luis Tovar.

• Luis Tovar – 3-5, 1 RBI, double (1)
• Jesus Villaflor – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, triple (1)
• Ezequiel Aparicio – 1-2, 1 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR (1)
• Doubles – Erny Orellana (1) and Jose Victorino (1)

Box Score

DSL Rojos 21 – DSL LAD Bautista 4

I am starting to get the opinion that the LAD DSL pitching is not very good.

• RF Jeibert Rondon – 2-4, 1 BB
• C Moises Rangel – 2-2
• 3B Adrian Del Cid – 2-3, 1 BB
• Doubles: 2B Ariel Reynoso (1) and SS Ezequiel Melburne (1)

Box Score