Dodgers Predicted to Land Red Sox All-Star in Blockbuster Trade Deadline Swing

Given their propensity for big swings both on and off the diamond, the Los Angeles Dodgers have continuously been linked to star pitcher Tarik Skubal, who is expected to be traded from the Detroit Tigers ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.

With starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell on the injured list, the Dodgers could find themselves in need of a quality starter come October.

Roki Sasaki has shown little reason to have confidence in him this season with a 5.40 ERA and a 3-5 record. Justin Wrobleski, who is enjoying the best season of his young career, could be a postseason starter, but it would be a lot of pressure to add to the 25-year-old's plate.

If the Dodgers are in fact looking to add another starting pitcher, the Tigers' asking price for Skubal could be too great for a Dodgers front office that traditionally avoids overpaying for high-profile rentals.

Instead of selling the farm for Skubal, noted Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez of the California Post, the Dodgers might opt to pursue a less expensive option in Sonny Gray of the Boston Red Sox.

Gray, who is 10-1 as a starter this season with a 2.61 ERA, would demand a significantly lower cost than Skubal, in part because of his contract including a $30 million mutual option for next year which features a $10 million buyout.

"That added cost would force the Red Sox to ask for less in return since just getting his deal off the books would count as a victory for them," Harris and Hernandez wrote. "As far as the free-spending Dodgers are concerned, it’s just money."

Money is rarely an issue for the Dodgers, whose total payroll including taxes is over $590 million for the 2026 season. Health, on the other hand, certainly has been.

Glasnow has been recovering from a back injury since early May, and it remains unclear when the 32-year-old will return to the mound.

Snell is currently recovering from a surgical procedure in his left elbow, and is not expected to return to the Dodgers until after the All-Star break, and more likely after the trade deadline.

If healthy, Glasnow and Snell might negate the need for the Dodgers to acquire a reliable starter for the postseason, as they would complete what is perhaps the best playoff starting rotation in baseball alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani.

However, the Dodgers might not want to hang their hopes on two players with a history of being injured. Acquiring a pitcher like Gray, who is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his 12-year career, could be a key decision as the Dodgers seek their third straight World Series title.

The Dodgers could also move Gray to the bullpen in the event of having too many starting pitchers, and feel very comfortable with having a multi-inning option.

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