Dodgers: 3 trades candidates that can be had before July 1

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in third place in the NL West, which is annoying when you consider that they’re 11 games above .500 at 34-23.

While the Padres were always expected to present some tough competition following their aggressive offseason, nobody anticipated the Giants being this good. Even amid their scorching hot start, most analysts thought San Francisco would come crashing back down to earth.

Though that could still happen at some point over the next couple of months, the Giants’ elite pitching (they have the the sixth-lowest team ERA in MLB) suggests they’ll be a thorn in the Dodgers’ side for most, if not all, of what’s left of the regular season.

With the Padres not expected to go anywhere, we hope the Dodgers are thinking about being active at this year’s trade deadline. After all, this roster is far from perfect and they could fortify their chances of repeating as champs with a few marquee acquisitions.

That’s obviously easier said than done, but Los Angeles has more than enough resources to appease potential trade partners. Taking that into account, here are three candidates Andrew Friedman and Co. could get their hands on early if they want to get ahead of the July 31 deadline.

The Dodgers should target these three players before July 1.

Tigers starter Michael Fulmer (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

3. Michael Fulmer

Dodgers fans couldn’t help but wince after Dustin May did the same in a May 1 start vs the Brewers after injuring his arm throwing a pitch. Though fans hoped for the best, the young right-hander’s reaction indicated he suffered a major injury and it was ultimately confirmed he needed Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow.

Given that May was pitching to a 2.74 ERA and logging 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings this season, his injury was a devastating blow to the Dodgers’ rotation. While David Price recently returned from an early-season IL stint, Los Angeles clearly views him as an opener for a bullpen game more than an actual starter at this point in his career.

With Tony Gonsolin nearing a return from injury, it’s worth speculating if the Dodgers might consider pairing him with Price every fifth day as a means not to overwork either hurler. Is that plan sustainable? Sure, if they pitch well, but fans would feel much more confident if LA had a legitimate starter to trot out there every fifth day.

The Dodgers’ need for another starting pitcher is evident.

That’s where Michael Fulmer enters the conversation. With Detroit still smack in the middle of a rebuild and sporting one of the worst records in MLB, it wouldn’t make sense for them to keep Fulmer, who just turned 28 and could be 31 by the time they’re ready to compete again.

Though Fulmer has an extensive injury history and is coming off a dreadful 2020 in which he logged a 8.78 ERA over 10 starts, this season has been a different story. Across 35 innings, the former first-round pick has a 3.34 ERA, 35 strikeouts and a 1.23 WHIP.

What makes Fulmer such a compelling target for the Dodgers is his versatility, as he can be utilized as starter or a long-inning reliever (he has four starts and four saves this year). At this point, what more could Los Angeles ask for from a trade acquisition? And if the pressure’s off him to perform, it could change a lot for the former All-Star.

Joey Gallo #13 of the Texas Rangers (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

2. Joey Gallo

The Dodgers love versatile players, don’t they? Well, that’s exactly what Joey Gallo is. He’s a plus defender who can play first base and all three outfield spots … and he came into bigs as a third baseman!

He’s not the most enticing trade candidate due to his struggles with hitting for average, but he’s an on-base machine and has incredible power from the left side of the plate. Put him in a lineup surrounded by stars such as Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger and others, and Gallo will see pitches to hit. You can’t say the same about Texas, who only have Adolis Garcia, Nick Solak and Isiah Kiner-Falefa protecting him.

When you look at the Dodgers as a whole, injuries have plagued them. Betts, Bellinger, AJ Pollock and now Muncy have been affected in some way this season, and LA needs to preserve those key players with over 100 games remaining. That means giving them rest when needed, and Gallo’s presence would allow that since he can slot into any of their positions without issue.

And when Roberts takes Muncy or Belli out of the lineup to replace them with Gallo, he won’t lose the lefty bat, power or OBP. Hopefully, the contact will come if he’s among the game’s best sluggers. Given the fact he’s underperforming right now with a .212 batting average, .760 OPS and league-leading 77 strikeouts, it may not cost a whole lot to get him, especially since he’s signed through 2022 with an expected raise in arbitration.

Who knows, maybe LA can figure out a way to package him with this guy…

Dodgers RHP Ian Kennedy (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

1. Ian Kennedy

To say that the Dodgers bullpen has been ravaged by injuries this season would be an understatement.

While the likes of Brusdar Graterol and Corey Knebel are expected to return within the next month or so, the club’s woeful luck on the injury front proves it should add at least one or two reinforcements before the July 31 deadline.

After all, there’s no way to know how those hurlers, including Tommy Kahnle, who’s expected to be out until at least September after undergoing Tommy John surgery last August, will look upon returning from injury. At the rate the Dodgers are losing relievers, we also wouldn’t rule out one of them suffering a potential setback.

The Dodgers need to bolster their bullpen fast.

Ian Kennedy comes to mind as a potential target for Los Angeles who might be able to be had earlier than the July 31 deadline. The 36-year-old right-hander looked to be one his way out of the league after he tallied a combined 5.61 ERA over the last four seasons, but he’s surprisingly rediscovered his mojo this year with the lowly Rangers.

Speaking of which, the Rangers are in a battle for the worst record in MLB, so they’d be moronic not to be sellers. Kennedy has been utterly dominant thus far (he’s allowed just four runs over 20 innings), and the Dodgers could use him as a valuable bridge to Blake Treinen or Kenley Jansen … or he could be in Dave Roberts’ closer-by-committee system when the postseason rolls around.

When healthy, the Dodgers have the undisputed best bullpen in the league, but that’s not the case in 2021. With the NL stronger than many expected, the Dodgers may need to act fast to avoid a massive bidding war closer to the deadline.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 01: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on June 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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