The MLB Trade Deadline came and went, and the Los Angeles Dodgers made a few frugal moves but lacked the splash that many anticipated.
Their biggest trade entailed moving outfielder James Outman to the Minnesota Twins for 33-year-old reliever Brock Stewart.
They also acquired Alex Call, who can play all three outfield positions, from the Washington Nationals. This felt like a move that is intended to push Michael Conforto.
Their final move was perhaps their most surprising as they traded former starting pitcher Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox for prospects and a 4th round pick.
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While none of these moves scream “All-In,” that doesn’t mean they didn’t try. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers were in on just about every top name available, but were not able to get deals done.
Los Angeles Dodgers Remain Frugal At The MLB Trade Deadline
For the past week or so, just about every big name out there was linked to the Dodgers, whether it was a starting pitcher, a reliever, or a top fielder.
They didn’t strike a deal for any of them, but they did inquire; they just struck out, unfortunately.
According to Ardaya, “The club did shoot high. Miller, Duran, Ryan Helsley (who went to the New York Mets), and Pete Fairbanks were among several relievers the Dodgers pursued before reuniting with one of the team’s former swingmen, Brock Stewart.”
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Mason Miller and Jhoan Duran ended up going for massive trade packages. The Dodgers have typically never shied away from dealing prospects for immediate impact players, but these packages were clearly deemed too rich.
“On the position player front, the team spent much of Thursday attempting to pry outfielder Steven Kwan from the Cleveland Guardians,” wrote Ardaya. “The asking price was steep — Leo De Vries, the headline of the Padres’ package for Miller, was the starting point for the Guardians’ ask for Kwan, according to a league source. The club’s interest in the St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan never gained steam in trade talks.”
The steep packages ultimately led to the team shifting focus to Stewart and Call, both of whom are solid players, just not the splashy names.
The San Diego Padres, on the other hand, are the talk of the league after the flurry of moves that they made, but will it pay off? Or will the Los Angeles Dodgers’ frugal approach ultimately win out down the stretch?
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