Dodgers Still Discussing Trades After Tarik Skubal Blockbuster, Says Andrew Friedman

Will the Dodgers do anything else before the MLB trade deadline?

Apr 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten talks with Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations, prior to the game against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put it bluntly on Sunday: "It was Skubal or nothing."

The Dodgers' blockbuster trade with the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Tarik Skubal is now official. The 29-year-old left-hander, winner of the last two American League Cy Young Awards, will make his debut on Tuesday in Chicago against the Cubs.

Dave Roberts: “It was Skubal or nothing.”

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 2, 2026

The trade deadline looms at 3 p.m. PT on Monday. Will any new Dodgers join the clubhouse in the meantime?

Speaking to reporters at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the team is discussing multiple trades, but it is "less likely" the Dodgers will make moves that add to their major league roster now that Skubal is on board.

The Dodgers' bullpen and bench remain two areas to watch if LA does add to the big league roster.

“We’re always trying to balance keeping one eye on the present and one eye on the future,” Friedman said. “We’ll continue to work through tomorrow.”

Friedman did not rule out additional moves, but said it is “less likely” those add to the big league roster. Dodgers are still in position to capitalize on depth pieces. Alex Call remains a player to watch, as does Eric Lauer. https://t.co/0pvgzWZ3sS

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) August 2, 2026

The Dodgers' injured list represents a logjam of potential bullpen options down the stretch. Right-handers Will Klein and Brock Stewart recently joined a group that also includes veteran Blake Treinen.

Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers are still in multiple conversations on multiple fronts, but adding to the major-league roster is “less likely.”

“Coming into this deadline, our mindset was, we're going to be really aggressive for one player.”

— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) August 2, 2026

Treinen recently faced hitters and could begin a minor league rehab assignment soon. The acquisition of Skubal has at least temporarily pushed left-hander Eric Lauer into a long relief role, creating one fewer seat in the bullpen for Klein, Stewart and/or Treinen.

Lauer could be of particular interest to teams looking to acquire a starting pitcher for the stretch run. Last year, the Dodgers traded Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox after proposing to move him into a long relief role. The two prospects they received in return, James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard, are filling up the Triple-A stat sheets.

The Dodgers could use their luxury of pitchers to address an area of weakness in their farm system. In fact, it might be prudent.

Once right-hander Tyler Glasnow and left-hander Blake Snell are activated from the injured list, the Dodgers will have seven starting pitchers without two-way player Shohei Ohtani, who hasn't pitched in a month.

The Dodgers will need to make another decision about who stays and who goes, who starts and who relieves, once Glasnow and Snell are back. Trading Lauer, or perhaps Emmet Sheehan (4-7, 4.95 ERA), would relieve that logjam.

Of course, Glasnow and Snell are walking injury risks. Sheehan still has two minor league options years remaining and can easily be sent back and forth to Oklahoma City.

If not a pitcher, the Dodgers might give into the reported inquiries about reserve outfielder Alex Call.

Call, 31, is adept at making contact (16.9% strikeout rate) and getting on base (.352) but brings little else as a hitter. DRS paints him as a replacement-level defender in the outfield.

Call is a useful player to have on the bench, but the Dodgers might prefer to give his spot to Tibbs, Ehrhard or Ryan Ward, who had 12 RBIs in 20 games earlier this season and has an .814 OPS at Triple-A.

Trades involving bullpen arms and bench bats aren't blockbusters. Friedman has done his heavy lifting.

With Skubal in tow, all that's left for the Dodgers before 3 p.m. on Monday is to put the finishing touches on an already perfect deadline.

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