Dodgers: 3 changes that can help LA leapfrog Giants in second half

2. Bring Josiah Gray (and Andre Jackson?) to the Bigs

Dodgers top prospect Josiah Gray can help this roster sooner rather than later, and there’s no better time to see what you have than right after the deadline, when there might be some other newbies joining the roster (we’ll get to that in a minute).

Gray’s been largely absent from competition this season after the shortened (and canceled) 2020, safely building back up to full strength after suffering a shoulder impingement in his first action of the year. His most recent start was a well-timed stepping stone, though, featuring four innings of shutout ball, complemented by four strikeouts and zero walks. According to the Dodgers’ brass, Gray must be at a level where he can throw 75 pitches/five innings comfortably in order to be promoted. Extrapolating his most recent outing out on a longer timeline (53 and four) and you’ve got a clear roadmap that will allow him to join the big club in the coming weeks. Despite a lost 2020, April and May, Gray’s arrival no longer feels terribly far off. Whether he’ll be the Tony Gonsolin or Julio Urias of 2021, though, remains to be seen. Rotation or ‘pen, Josiah? What’s your speed?

And speaking of packing the ‘pen, might the Dodgers want to try Andre Jackson out there, too, to conserve some of his innings and spark the relief corps? The team’s Futures Game representative has a 1.06 WHIP in his age-25 season at Double-A Tulsa, and has tossed 50 innings (with 63 strikeouts) after 114.2 in 2019 and, obviously, zero last year. Conventional wisdom would dictate that a pitcher increase their innings step by step year over year, and Jackson probably would’ve been ticketed for 140-150 under normal circumstances. His previous career high seems like a fair cap this time around, though, and maybe some MLB work out of the back end might be a wiser way for him to spend September, at least. These could be two huge stretch run additions from the upper levels of LA’s system.

1. Trade for a Starter and Reliever. Profit.

The Dodgers are going to need a boost to their rotation most never expected, and a boost to their bullpen almost everyone expected, to get past the Giants.

While Gray and Jackson could provide a spark internally, if Los Angeles hasn’t learned their lesson about never having enough arms by now, they might never do so. David Price hopes to be a significant part of the team’s rotation by the end of the season, but he’s still not stretched out in any meaningful way. Tony Gonsolin missed the lion’s share of the first half, and is still attempting to reemerge from the darkness in his 2020 form. Dustin May’s not walking through that door, and the other two missing pitchers (Clayton Kershaw and someone who’s not worth naming in the context of on-field action) remain question marks.

We’re going to attempt to kill two birds with one trade by arguing for the same deal we’ve been trying to manufacture for months: Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy to Los Angeles, use whatever mid-top-10 prospect pieces you have to in order to get there. Seek out a few players who’ll need 40-man protection from the Rule 5 Draft this offseason and attach them, regardless of pedigree. Everyone short of Gray and Keibert Ruiz should likely be on the table if the right upgrade comes along.

Gibson might be riding a career-best hot streak right now (4.1 WAR in the first half! 1.069 WHIP, which is nice!) but his steadiness could benefit the Dodgers significantly in the back half of their rotation. At the very worst, he’ll be an innings-eater with a mid-3.00s ERA for a team that, once again, is somehow starting relievers after entering 2021 with the most depth possible. Since he’s Kyle Gibson, he’ll cost a good amount, but here’s betting he won’t cost Max Scherzer capital.

As for Kennedy? For a while, he was leading the league in saves, but now he’s a paltry sixth with a 1.055 WHIP and 2.67 ERA. Blah, ho hum. Might look nice in Dodger Blue setting up for Kenley Jansen with a fearsome beard of his own.

Plus, every bullpen arm you trade for is one that doesn’t end up in orange and black. Not a bad way to get ahead.

Dodgers: 3 players LAD needs more from in second half of season

The Los Angeles Dodgers need more from these three players if they want to surpass the San Francisco Giants in the second half.