Whatever the Los Angeles Dodgers need to make a championship run, they usually get.
It’s been a remarkable five-year stretch for the Dodgers’ front office, amassing the most star-studded roster in the sport by a long shot. Yet once again, their starting rotation has been so completely decimated by injuries that they find themselves with a legitimate trade deadline need.
Certainly, the Dodgers are hoping for returns from Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow by the stretch run at the latest. But bringing in one more potential playoff starter seems like a top priority in case their run of unlucky health continues.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield believes the Dodgers should shoot for the moon and target a Cy Young Award runner-up from last season.
On Wednesday, Schoenfield urged the Dodgers to acquire Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo, who can opt out of the third year of his $45 million contract and hit free agency this coming winter.
“It’s hard to believe the Dodgers might need another starting pitcher after all the money they’ve invested in their rotation, but we still don’t know the season-long prognosis for Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, although Glasnow has at least started a rehab assignment in Triple-A,” Schoenfield wrote.
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“The one thing we do know is the Dodgers have a system loaded with hitting prospects that might make them the team most capable of making this trade — if they want to do it.”
Lugo, 35, has a sparkling 2.74 ERA in 15 starts this season, and a 2.93 ERA in 48 starts dating back to the start of his time with Kansas City. He’s been the breakout pitching star of the past few years, as he was once considered a half-decent middle reliever with the New York Mets.
If the 40-46 Royals can be convinced to sell, the race for Lugo will be on. And it’s never wise to bet against the Dodgers in these types of races.
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