The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the week of the MLB trade deadline linked in rumors to All-Star players like outfielder Steven Kwan and closer Jhoan Duran. Instead, the club walked out with a pair of minor additions and a lot more questions about their approach.
Following Thursday’s MLB trade deadline, we’re examining what analysts and experts around the league thought about the Dodgers’ moves. Notably, what makes this summer particularly interesting is that the Dustin May trade, acquiring top prospect James Tibbs III, might’ve been the club’s best move.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic: B+
The Dodgers had a clear need in the outfield heading into the trade deadline, given the lack of production from Michael Conforto (a .652 OPS this season). Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call wasn’t a prominent name floating in MLB trade rumors, but he’s taking Conforto’s place, and some liked the move.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic gave the Dodgers a B+ grade for their work at the MLB trade deadline. The former MLB executive believes the acquisition of Brock Stewart “could become one of the best under-the-radar deals,” and he also “really liked” the addition of Call. The 30-year-old outfielder is a very disciplined hitter, as evidenced by his 11 percent walk rate versus a 15.2 percent strikeout rate. Over the last two seasons, Call posted a .297/.388/.432 triple-slash line with an .821 OPS in 296 at-bats.
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Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports: C
Not everyone was a fan of the Dodgers’ moves at the MLB trade deadline. Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports called the additions of Alex Call and Brock Stewart “helpful” but “unspectacular” additions by Los Angeles. He rightfully highlighted that Los Angeles is getting several of its pitchers back off the injured list but questioned why the club didn’t find it more necessary to add a high-end pitcher amid the injury issues. The Dodgers finished a full letter grade lower than the San Diego Padres (B) and barely ahead of the San Francisco Giants (C-).
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CBS Sports: B+
As previously mentioned, one of the most well-regarded moves at the MLB trade deadline involved Los Angeles trading May to the Boston Red Sox for outfield prospect James Tibbs III. Boston acquired the top-100 prospect in the Rafael Devers trade with the San Francisco Giants. Tibbs struggled during his brief stint with Boston’s Double-A team (.207/.319/.267), but CBS Sports highlighted his acquisition as an “excellent return” for the Dodgers. The Dodgers tied for the fifth-highest grade among all 30 teams.
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Matt Higgins of Sportsnaut: Loser
One of the most common criticisms of the Dodgers’ limited activity was shared by Matt Higgins of Sportsnaut, who viewed Los Angeles as one of the biggest losers of the MLB trade deadline. That assessment is in part because the Dodgers saw the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and Philadelphia Phillies all make significant improvements, whereas the Dodgers did very little. It’s a criticism that Andrew Friedman is feeling now and will likely feel even more if the Dodgers falter in October.