MLB Insider Weighs In on Dodgers Trade Rumors Involving James Tibbs III

Part of what has made the Los Angeles Dodgers such a powerhouse over the last decade-plus isn't just the star power on the roster. But instead, it's having a mixture of quality role players next to the stars who understand the roles that they need to play.

Additionally, the Dodgers consistently have one of the strongest farm systems in baseball, which is a testament to how well the scouts do their jobs.

This allows Los Angeles to spend heavily on star players or have the ability to make blockbuster trades whenever they need to address a weakness.

One player who has been making waves in the Dodgers organization this year is outfielder James Tibbs III.

Tibbs has gotten off to a blazing start for the Dodgers in Triple-A, and it has caught the attention of many around baseball.

So far, Tibbs has hit .380 with seven home runs and 13 runs batted in over 12 games played. His red-hot start has made people begin to wonder if the Dodgers will call him up to the big leagues — or even if the team could trade him to bolster the roster to win now.

James Tibbs III, acquired by the Dodgers along with Zach Ehrhard for Dustin May last deadline, has a 3-HR game today for OKC.

His updated stats at Triple-A:

.529 AVG
7 HR
13 RBIs
1.903 OPS

He is playing out of his mind right now. Just unreal.pic.twitter.com/tzMTDdE9lm
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) April 5, 2026

Los Angeles has a fairly full roster at the big league level, so it could be a minute before Tibbs is able to receive consistent playing time. However, MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided pushed back on this thought and said he doesn't believe that the Dodgers would even consider moving Tibbs at this point.

"After the Giants traded Tibbs III to the Red Sox as part of the Rafael Devers trade, two prominent industry sources told me he was a candidate to get moved again. He did, to the Los Angeles Dodgers, for right-hander Dustin May," Murray wrote.

" ... I have heard little about him possibly being a trade candidate at the deadline, my assumption is the Dodgers would like to keep him and have a young, emerging and also inexpensive talent on the roster — similar to Andy Pages — considering how expensive the overall roster is in Los Angeles."

Tibbs came to the Dodgers last season in a trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent right-hander Dustin May out of Los Angeles. The decision by Boston to move Tibbs was a curious one, especially considering that the team had just traded for him as a main piece in the deal that sent star Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants.

But the Dodgers made quick work to land Tibbs from Boston, and the organization is now reaping the benefits from the deal. Moves like this are why the Dodgers have been able to consistently win over the years, and this could end up being another steal from a trade.

The Dodgers have Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Pages as the outfielders right now, but having a young player like Tibbs is helpful. Hernández is 33 years old, and if he were to start to decline, Tibbs could easily slide in to take his place.

There is no telling when Tibbs will be called up to the big leagues, but if he continues to perform at this high level, Los Angeles may have its hand forced sooner rather than later.