Andrew Friedman Addresses Dodgers' Trade Deadline Plans Amid Pitcher Injuries

The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again dealing with multiple key injuries to members of the pitching staff. This has become almost a yearly occurrence for the team, and the team will yet again navigate it this season.

Los Angeles lost ace Blake Snell for the foreseeable future after undergoing elbow surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. The team also saw right-hander Tyler Glasnow suffer a setback in his recovery from back spasms, with him now expected to be out for longer than expected.

With all the injuries, many have pointed to the upcoming trade deadline this summer for Los Angeles to add more depth. However, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who notoriously hates shopping at the trade deadline due to the sky-high prices, is hoping that won't be the case.

“It’s more that the timing of the injuries would be way easier if they were spaced out,” Friedman said to the LA Times. “Obviously, injuries are part of the game and we can’t be shocked when it happens.

“It’s the overlapping nature that is tough in the moment, but that doesn’t really change July thoughts [at this point] or October outlook.”

This mindset from the Dodgers' front office shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, especially given how the team has handled trade deadlines of late. Los Angeles has been much more focused on roster building over the offseason rather than the summer to avoid paying premium prices to upgrade the team.

Snell is expected to return to the team at some point this season, but his timeline at this point has been vague. Hoever, he underwent the NanoNeedle procedure that is expected to shave off a month of the potential 2-3 month return timline.

As for Glasnow, the team doesn't believe that his back issue is a long-term concern, but they will be cautious with him. Glasnow has dealt with multiple injuries over his career, so Los Angeles will give him ample time to come back.

Even with the injuries, the Dodgers have plenty of arms that they can turn to. The team has built depth all across the organization, knowing to plan ahead for the massive number of injuries that have taken place in recent times.

Going forward, the starting rotation will feature Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki and Justin Wrobleski, with newly-acquired Eric Lauer filling in as the No. 6 starter.

If more injuries were to occur, the Dodgers' mindset to avoid making trades could change. But the hope is that both Snell and Glasnow can return to full health in the coming months (Glasnow likely sooner) and get back to helping the team go after another World Series title.

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