August 30th, 2020 at 12:00 pm 
by 0799291000348 Monday, August 31, is the last day that Major League Baseball teams may trade players without first placing them on trade waivers. The Dodgers have the best win-loss record in MLB, with 25-games left to play in the truncated 2020 season. And they can play better! There have been periods when the team has played to its immense potential, but there is a concerning inconsistency that may require a tuneup of the roster to reach this year’s World Series.
Hard to believe that the Dodgers could use another starting pitcher, but with injuries to Jimmy Nelson and Alex Wood, the inconsistency of Julio Urias, the continuing struggles of Ross Stripling, and the inexperience of Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, the team may kick-the-tires on top of the rotation pitchers.
Rumors of Dodgers trade targets include the Cleveland Indians Mike Clevinger, Cincinnati Reds Trevor Bauer, and the Texas Rangers Lance Lynn. The players required to acquire any of these pitchers will be steep, no team is going to give the Dodgers a bargain. For example, baseball journalist John Heyman has reported that the asking price for Clevinger is ridiculously high.
Lynn may be the most affordable in terms of players/prospects going to Texas, but will he be a difference-maker in the postseason? Bauer, a Southern California native who grew up a Dodger fan, is the type of starting pitcher who would be a difference-maker for the Dodgers in the postseason, taking a starting spot alongside Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler, with May, Gonsolin, and Urias pitching out of the bullpen, and a spot-starters when needed.
(Photo credit – Jerome Miron)
Mathematically, the Reds remain in the hunt for a postseason berth, but the probability of them going deep into the playoffs is extremely low, and Bauer will be a free agent after the season, unlikely to re-sign with Cincinnati. The Dodgers and Reds have been trade partners in the recent past, including the December 2018 blockbuster that included Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, and Kyle Farmer for Jeter Downs and Josiah Gray. Indirectly, the trade with the Dodgers allowed the Reds to acquire Bauer from the Indians.
Who would the Dodgers have to give up to rent Bauer for the remainder of this season and postseason? We can only speculate, but a package that includes Urias, a couple of mid-level prospects (possibly Michael Busch and DJ Peters), and Kiké Hernandez (to help offset Bauer’s current $17.5M salary) would not be unreasonable.
The Dodgers could also use a good, right-handed bat when it faces left-handed pitching. There are several players who would help the Dodgers, including the San Francisco Giants Wilmer Flores (a defensive liability), and the Kansas City Royals Whit Merrifield. But the name that sticks out the most is Texas Rangers third baseman Todd Frazier, who is signed through 2021 (2022 team option). The 34-year old Frazier can still hit with power and is an adequate defender at third base. He can also play first base if needed. Who might the Rangers want in return? Infielder/outfielder Matt Beaty and pitcher Dennis Santana may be enough to put Frazier in Dodgers Blue.
Who else would you like to see the Dodgers add to the roster for the 2020 post season?
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Dodgers need a starting pitcher. Urias or Stripling are not going to cut it in the playoffs. I like Gonsolin and May in the future, but they’re inexperienced. I hope they are making a hard push for Bauer. I know Roberts says it’s unlikely they pick a rental, but I do not feel good about their rotation if this is what it’s going to be in the postseason. It’s being ignored because they are in first place, but let’s be honest here: who cares about first place this year? There is no home field advantage and in the playoffs anything can happen as they found out last year. All it takes is a hot opposing pitcher and for the bats to be off for a game or two, and boom the Dodgers will be done.