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Dodgers: Three Big Questions Left For the Second Half of the Season

By Michael Wittman

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Pitcher Kenta Maeda #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the second inning of the MLB game against the San Diego Padres during the MLB game at Dodger Stadium on July 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Pitcher Kenta Maeda #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the second inning of the MLB game against the San Diego Padres during the MLB game at Dodger Stadium on July 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 22: Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, walks on the field before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

What tricks does Andrew Friedman have under his sleeve for the deadline?

The 2019 trade deadline is going to be one of the most difficult deadlines that Andrew Friedman has faced in his time with the Dodgers.  One of the biggest problems is the potential lack of sellers.  Due to the second wildcard, teams like the Pirates and Indians who have elite relievers, may not go into sell mode.

One of the few teams that is dead set on being a seller is the San Francisco Giants.  The problem in dealing with the Giants is that Farhan Zaidi is going to ask for more than he would from other teams in an attempt to weaken the Dodgers’ future.  There is also no other GM in baseball that knows the Dodgers’ system better than Farhan.

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Outside of dealing with a rival General Manager and the potential lack of sellers, the other issue for Andrew Friedman is the uncertainty of his roster.  Rich Hill’s status will not become clear until after the trade deadline so the Dodgers have to assume he will not make it back.

The other question is if Friedman trusts the internal backup options like Ross Stripling and Kenta Maeda to potentially be a fourth playoff starter.  If he chooses to move Urias back into the rotation it would weaken the bullpen with only one or two elite relievers potentially be on the trade block.

In previous seasons, Friedman had a clear deadline path with Corey Seager out for the season and Yu Darvish available with the rotation in need of an upgrade.  Even with one of the deepest rosters in MLB, Friedman has questions left to sort out on his roster in a hurry.

Next. The Dodgers have interest in multiple Giants' relievers. dark

Andrew may need to get creative to round out the Dodgers’ roster before the deadline.  No pressure though, it is only the fate of the Dodgers’ third potential World Series hanging in the balance; the same club that has not won a World Series in over thirty years.

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