3 potential trade targets for the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in a solid spot considering their injury woes.

Not only has Walker Buehler been lost for an extended period of time, but Clayton Kershaw missed five weeks of the season. Dustin May has yet to pitch this year. Key members of the bullpen are on the Injured List. Mookie Betts is sidelined with a fractured rib. And yet, the Dodgers entered Wednesday tied for first in the NL West.

Three trade targets for Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are clearly going to need help as they attempt to reclaim the divisional title and return to the playoffs. Between those injuries and struggling players, they are not the juggernaut that they had been in the past. However, they have a deep farm system and ownership that is willing to do anything it takes to win. Chances are, this will be an active trade deadline.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be busy come the trade deadline. Let’s take a look at three possible trade targets for that playoff push.

Frankie Montas

Virtually every team that is looking for help in the rotation will be targeting Frankie Montas. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the type of prospects that could make such a deal a reality.

As strong as the Dodgers rotation has been, it is also relatively unproven. Tony Gonsolin has already thrown more innings this year than he has in any full major league season in his career. Tyler Anderson is a back of the rotation arm that suddenly looks like an ace. Andrew Heaney has tantalized with his stuff but has never had the results. And Clayton Kershaw is not the healthiest of pitchers any longer.

Montas would be a stabilizing piece for the Dodgers. He would not be tasked with being their staff ace, and would just be needed to provide solid innings in the middle of the rotation. Considering that it is difficult to expect that Gonsolin and Anderson will be able to continue their production, his ability to last six innings each time out would be a boost.

He would also be far more than just a mid tier option. Montas has displayed flashes of being a top of the rotation arm in his own right, someone that could fill in as an ace if needed should injuries continue to rear their head. As he is also under team control next year, he would go a long way towards solving that place in the rotation.

The Los Angeles Dodgers could use another arm in the rotation. Frankie Montas is going to be in high demand, but he would be a perfect option.

Michael Taylor

At this point, Cody Bellinger’s MVP season is so far in the rearview mirror that it may as well have happened in the Dead Ball Era.

There was hope that Bellinger would bounce back after his hideous showing in 2021. While he has been better this year, his 81 OPS+ is still far below what anyone would have hoped for. He has been essentially useless against left handed pitching, making a platoon situation necessary.

The problem is that there are not many options capable of playing center field, let alone any that are right handed. One such option can be found in Kansas City, where the Royals Michael Taylor is in the midst of a career year. His 111 OPS+ is the best of his time in the majors and he is still playing Gold Glove caliber defense.

Taylor would be more than a rental as well. The Royals had signed him to a two year extension before the end of the 2021 season, locking him in at what is proving to be a bargain. He may also fetch a higher trade return than anyone would have expected when he signed that extension, but the Royals will need to actually put him on the trade block first.

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a right handed hitting complement in center. Michael Taylor may be a gamble, but his defense is well worth the cost.