The countdown to the 2026 trade deadline keeps ticking, and all 30 teams will need to decide whether to buy or sell.
For a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, buying at the deadline has become an annual expectation, even with a relatively weaker deadline spree last year. While the team currently boasts the best record in the sport, they’ve done so despite the numerous injuries to several big name players.
With gaps to fill at every facet of the team, here are three players that the Dodgers need to acquire
before the trade deadline expires.
Offense— Mitch Garver, C, SEA
Looking at the overall numbers, Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver has had a season to forget. The 35-year-old is slashing just .184/.311/.316 across 135 plate appearances, and with Cal Raleigh having recently returned from injury, Garver is once again relegated to backup duties behind home plate.
Despite the poor numbers, Garver fills the Dodgers’ most crucial offensive hole. Will Smith has been on the injured list since early June, and with him being transferred to the 60-day IL, they are in need of a catcher to hit against left-handed pitching.
Dalton Rushing has received the lion’s share of opportunities in Smith’s absence, and although he has great numbers against southpaws on the year (.255/.345/.412), he has mired in an 2-23 slump since July 6. The Dodgers backup options behind Rushing, both Chuckie Robinson and Eliézer Alfonzo, have combined to hit .114 (4-35) in that time.
Garver has been successful in his sparse opportunities against left-handers (.229/.351/.333), and he has championship pedigree after winning it all with the Texas Rangers in 2023. If and when Smith returns in the regular season, Garver can be a platoon option at first base or designated hitter if Freddie Freeman or Shohei Ohtani deal with ailments.
Rotation— Clay Holmes, RHP, NYM
The Dodgers starting rotation has been one of the best in baseball, even with injuries to both Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell and youngsters Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan struggling to find their footing.
The only consistent right-handed arm in the rotation is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and with Shohei Ohtani being shut down for the mean time, another right-handed starter fills the rotation’s needs. For a New York Mets team that is free falling, right-hander Clay Holmes would help fortify the pitching staff.
Holmes has been out since May due to a right fibula fracture, but he began a rehab assignment on July 18. When healthy, he has put up a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts and 18 walks over 52 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old has a combined 3.26 ERA across his last 42 appearances (40 starts) since joining the Mets, and he adds some much needed flexibility for the overall pitching staff once the injured starters make their returns.
Bullpen— Daniel Lynch VI, LHP, KC
The Dodgers bullpen has had a remarkable turnaround this season, and that includes relievers such as Tanner Scott having a bounce back season in his second year with the club. Injuries to Evan Phillips, Edwin Díaz and Blake Treinen have limited their options at the back end of the bullpen, but the front end is the bigger issue to highlight.
Daniel Lynch VI of the Kansas City Royals has put himself in a prime position to be moved at the deadline. He currently leads all Royals relievers in both bWAR and fWAR, sporting a 2.13 ERA and a 0.921 WHIP on the season. His strikeout numbers are slightly up from last year (7.2 strikeouts per nine innings), but he has found success by limiting the long ball and keeping the ball on the ground.
Lynch also has experience in the rotation, as he has made 56 starts over his first five seasons before transitioning to the bullpen full-time. The Dodgers could use another flex option beside Eric Lauer, who could face a demotion from the rotation once Snell and Glasnow return, and Lynch would provide more than serviceable work at the front end of the bullpen while also adding needed length if the rest of the bullpen gets taxed early. Lynch won’t turn 30-years-old until Nov. 17, and he is eligible for arbitration this offseason.
