The Los Angeles Dodgers have been struggling to hold off the New York Mets and it could be time to address their biggest weakness.
The team has gone into extra innings in both games of their series with the Mets so far, losing on Monday and then winning on Tuesday. It’s a sign of just how big of a threat the Mets have become and it should bring some urgency to Los Angeles.
As the Dodgers look to fortify their roster at the trade deadline, it’s clear where they should focus. With stars like Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell on the injured list, the team is in need of some more healthy arms. In the latest blow, frontline starter Tyler Glasnow has found that his body “is not responding” to rehab and he could be out for longer than hoped.
Without Glasnow back anytime soon, the Dodgers can consider a three-player trade pitch from Joey Mistretta of ClutchPoints, who suggested swapping James Outman and Jackson Ferris, the number five prospect in their system, to the Boston Red Sox for Walker Buehler.
“There probably are not many teams around the (Major League Baseball) world who would be open to the idea of trading one of their top five prospects for Buehler at this point in his career,” Mistretta wrote. “The Dodgers, however, have history with Buehler. As a result, they may be open to taking a risk by surrendering a top five prospect for him.”
Buehler was a member of the Dodgers for the team’s last two World Series championships and he played a critical role in the team’s push toward its title last year. But after signing a $21 million deal to join the Red Sox, he has struggled to stay on the mound and has a 4.44 ERA in nine starts so far.
Mistretta’s proposed package would be a steep cost for an underperforming veteran like Buehler, but it could be the price of doing business for a bonafide starter at the deadline. And the Dodgers might have little choice but to pay up, as they struggle to field healthy arms.
