The back-to-back defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers
sit with an MLB-best record of 61-36 at the All-Star break.
It is hard to believe that they are doing this with a rotation down an All-Star ( Tyler Glasnow
) and Cy Young award winner ( Blake Snell
), and a bullpen that is without an All-Star closer ( Edwin Diaz
) who was brought in this offseason.
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At the same time, it makes complete sense for the Dodgers to continue thriving through setbacks, as they've done for the last two years.
With the Aug. 3 trade deadline coming up, the term "spoils of riches" often comes to mind when talking about the Dodgers. Enough talent exists at the top of the organization down to Single-A where they are built to be the best team in baseball even if they are down an All-Star or two (or three).
It does, however, beg the question of how a team like the Dodgers moves into the second half of the season and the trade deadline, looking to improve while also maintaining a strong farm system for the future.
Thus, here are three candidates who have helped lead the Dodgers to first half success at both the major and minor league level that may not be playing for the same organization come Aug. 4.
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Eric Lauer
, Left-Handed Pitcher, MLB
The left-handed Lauer was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays
after he was designated for assignment in May and has only further proven how elite the Dodgers are in terms of turning around
someone's career.
Lauer arrived in LA with a 6.69 ERA, but has tossed a 3.12 mark in his seven appearances as a Dodger.
The reason he is on this list is purely because Glasnow and Snell are making progress in their returns to the mound.
Since Lauer was brought in for next to nothing, if there is any return the Dodgers could get to help them win another World Series or continue to add to their farm system, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the impending free agent
in a new uniform.
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Ryan Ward, Outfielder, Triple-A
Ward is an outfielder currently hitting .269 in Triple-A with nine home runs and 40 RBIs. He made his first 20 major league appearances this season and showed why he is the No. 19 overall prospect for LA.
His .218/.283/.455 slash line showed that he is still the power hitter he has been talked up to be, but perhaps he needs an everyday job with another team to unlock his true potential.
The Dodgers' outfield is overcrowded so that job is unlikely to be with LA. Thus, the 28-year-old rookie is a perfect candidate to be playing for a new team
next month.
River Ryan
, Right-Handed Pitcher, Triple-A
Ryan is the least likely of the three to be traded unless it's in a blockbuster trade (but more on that later).
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The right-hander is currently the No. 6 overall prospect for the Dodgers and the top pitcher in their system.
The 27-year-old tossed a 2.76 ERA in a handful of Triple-A outings in 2024 and a 1.77 ERA across four starts at the major league level before he was sidelined for a year due to Tommy John surgery.
Though his ERA is up to 4.46 during his comeback season in Triple-A and he is currently sitting on the injured list,
teams still know what he is capable of.
While the Dodgers won't trade him for no reason, they would likely listen if a team was interested in a blockbuster deal - say, the Detroit Tigers
looking to trade Tarik Skubal
.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as 3 Dodgers Most Likely to Be Traded After the All-Star Break
.
