There is no doubt that injuries have brought the Dodgers back to the rest of the NL West pack. Losing players to the Injured List has been crushing to team performance: Mookie Betts, Ryan Brasier, Walker Buehler, Tyler Glasnow, Joe Kelly, Bobby Miller, Max Muncy, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Clayton Kershaw, who has yet to pitch in a competitive game for the Major League team.

Getting these players back to the active roster will be a huge boost to the Dodgers win-loss record. However, there are concerns with the availability of several injured players and/or their performance in second half.

Reliever Brasier has been on the IL since late April and there is no indication if/when he will return. The enigmatic reliever Kelly keeps fans on the edge of their seats even when healthy. Starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller may be ready physically to return, but they both have issues with their pitching mechanics. Clayton Kershaw appears to be healthy after his three inning rehab outing for Oklahoma City Baseball Club (OKC), but how long will his body allow him to pitch.

Perhaps the most concerning injury and return is the lingering right oblique strain to third baseman Max Muncy. He was recently shutdown from swinging a bat and the earliest he might return is sometime in August. With the current third base rotation of Kiké Hernández, Chris Taylor, and Cavan Biggio well below the Major League run production average, the Dodgers may be searching for a third base upgrade, a player who can also play another position if/when Muncy returns.

Notably, 40-man roster pitchers Yohan Ramírez, Nick Ramirez, Ricky Vanasco, Gus Varland, and Ryan Yarbrough, are not difference makers to put the Dodgers in the World Series. Similarly, position players Cavan Biggio, Kiké Hernández, Gavin Lux, James Outman, and Chris Taylor range from 30% to 50% below the Major League average as run producers (based on Fangraphs wRC+). That will not get the job done.

The bottom line, it’s time to upgrade the Dodgers roster – sooner than later.

Fans may see a couple of roster moves before the Dodgers next game on Friday, July 19.

Relief pitcher Joe Kelly’s imminent return and the reported promotion of prospect River Ryan will likely push Ricky Vanasco and/or Gus Varland back to OKC, or DFA Yohan Ramírez after his recent pitching melt downs.

Outfielder James Outman continues to struggle and may start the second half of the season in OKC. Jason Heyward will return, but there may be an additional outfielder headed to the Dodgers roster after the All-Star break. Left-handed hitting OKC outfield prospect Ryan Ward (.279/.341/.640/.981; 24 HR, 67 RBI) would be the platoon partner with Miguel Vargas in left field, with Teoscar Hernández replacing Heyward in right field against left-handed pitching.

Which players will the Dodgers acquire in trade before the deadline?

Check back later this week.

  *  *  *  *  *  *