Dodgers’ Trade Deadline Plan Is Surprisingly Simple: Just Get Healthy

The MLB trade deadline is still a few weeks away, but the rumor mill is already churning. And for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the strategy might be more boring than you’d expect.

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, when he asked the Dodgers about their trade deadline plans, the response was blunt: “Just get healthy.” That’s it. No blockbuster deal in the works. No desperate move to plug a hole. Just a whole lot of waiting for the training staff to do its job.

And honestly, it makes sense. The Dodgers are sitting nine games up in the NL West. They don’t have an obvious weakness. What they do have is 12 players on the injured list, including three key pitchers — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Edwin Diaz — all on the 60-day IL. That’s a lot of talent sitting in the trainer’s room.

If those three come back and look anything like themselves, Los Angeles arguably has the best roster in baseball again. No trade needed.

What About Tarik Skubal?

Bowden also floated the possibility that the Dodgers could make a run at Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal if the Tigers decide to deal him. Skubal is left-handed, dominant, and exactly the kind of arm contenders love to add at the deadline. But the Dodgers aren’t pounding the table for him. They’re not making calls. They’re waiting.

“Don’t count them out if the Tigers deal Tarik Skubal,” Bowden wrote. That’s about as strong as the interest gets right now.

Of course, if Skubal becomes available and the Dodgers decide to get aggressive, they have the prospects and payroll to make it happen. But the front office seems content to roll the dice on the guys they already have coming back.

Injury List Is Stacked

The Dodgers aren’t just missing pitchers. Will Smith is on the IL. So are Kiké Hernandez and Teoscar Hernandez. That’s a decent chunk of the everyday lineup. And then there’s Shohei Ohtani, who is dealing with inflammation in his left knee and a bloody blister on his pitching hand after Wednesday’s win over the Rays. The good news: he’s not expected to land on the IL.

Still, the sheer volume of injuries is a concern. You can’t just flip a switch and have everyone back at full strength. But the schedule is in the Dodgers’ favor. The deadline isn’t until August 3. Multiple key players are expected back at some point in July. If the timeline holds, most of the roster should be ready for the second-half push.

That’s the plan. No drama. No panic. Just a countdown to getting healthy.