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3 blockbuster trade targets for Dodgers after Walker Buehler injury

By Thomas Carannante |
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Indians throws out Ildemaro Vargas #16 of the Chicago Cubs at first base during the sixth inning at Progressive Field on May 11, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Indians throws out Ildemaro Vargas #16 of the Chicago Cubs at first base during the sixth inning at Progressive Field on May 11, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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Some Los Angeles Dodgers fans saw the problem a while ago and knew it wasn’t going away! And when Walker Buehler left Friday’s game after 70 pitches with what ended up being elbow pain, it was all solidified.

Buehler won’t pick up a baseball for 6-8 weeks, per manager Dave Roberts, and will likely miss close to three months when rehabbing is all said and done (assuming his elbow strain doesn’t eventually require surgery).

Thankfully, the Dodgers’ rotation has largely held strong while it’s been battered. Guys like Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson have been unexpectedly carrying the load. Andrew Heaney is set to return soon and Clayton Kershaw finally came back this past weekend. Even Mitch White and Ryan Pepiot have gotten the job done!

But that won’t be enough. We know, that sounds insane. The Dodgers have an All-Star roster and should theoretically be able to get by, but starting pitching is undoubtedly the most important ingredient to a World Series contender. LA can’t bank on being able to get by with Buehler out, Kershaw continuing to deal with injury issues, and Julio Urías potentially dealing with a bit of a regression.

Hope is far from lost, though. Last year, when the Dodgers were dealing with similar issues, Andrew Friedman acquired Max Scherzer and Trea Turner at the trade deadline. And he’ll have another opportunity to make a similar splash within the next month and a half.

With how competitive the NL West is while the MLB-best New York Yankees lurk in the AL, the Dodgers really need another ace or co-ace to guarantee longevity through October.

The Dodgers should target these 3 blockbuster starting pitching trade candidates

Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Nathan Eovaldi #17 of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

3. Nathan Eovaldi

This is all dependent upon how the Red Sox perform over the next month or so. At the moment, they’re fourth in the AL East at 32-29, which is actually good for the sixth-best record in the AL, but does GM Chaim Bloom really think this team has enough to make a postseason run?

Throw in the fact they have a lot of guys with value on expiring contracts — with starter Nathan Eovaldi leading the way — and a need to rebuild/re-tool with Xander Bogaerts likely leaving in the offseason, and it wouldn’t exactly shock anyone if Boston sold at the trade deadline and acquired more assets to better prepare for 2022 and beyond.

Eovaldi is making $17 million in the final year of his contract and the Red Sox would love to save around half of that money while getting young talent in return if they’re not closer to the top of the AL East at the end of July.

Right now, the right-hander is on the IL with a lower back issue, but he’s 4-2 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 12 starts in 2022. The only blemish is his 4.56 FIP and league-leading 16 home runs allowed, but both of those stats are highly inflated due to his horrific outing against the Astros back on May 17 (1.2 IP, 9 runs (6 ER), 5 HR). Outside of that, he’s been really good, and largely has been since 2018.

Don’t forget about his postseason success, either. Dodgers fans remember him well from Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, when he tossed six scoreless innings of relief in that 18-inning marathon (before surrendering the game-losing blow). Eovaldi owns a 3.14 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 11 games (43 innings) in October.

Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

2. Shane Bieber

The Guardians have been a surprise in 2022, jumping out to a 29-27 record which is somehow good for second place in the AL Central (just 3.5 games back of the Twins). Cleveland conducting a sort of fire sale will also be dependent upon their performance through the end of July.

Shane Bieber is leading the way on the pitching staff with a 2.91 ERA, 2.64 FIP and 1.12 WHIP in his first 11 starts of the year. The former AL Cy Young winner is under club control through 2024 and is making just $6 million this season.

Do the Guardians have a realistic window within the next two seasons to make a run with Bieber atop the rotation? Probably not. And two of their top prospects — Daniel Espino and Gavin Williams — are starting pitchers making their way through the farm system.

Plus, Cleveland has Triston McKenzie to build around, as well as Cal Quantrill as a solid contributing piece. Assuming Bieber has no long-term future in Cleveland due to the exponential rise in starting pitcher salaries, the Guardians could get a lot of young talent in return to push ahead in a weak division over the next few years. The Dodgers have a ton of young pitching and middle infield talent to offer.

Bieber is far from a guarantee to be dealt, but if the Guardians fall off a bit and the Dodgers present an offer they can’t refuse, it wouldn’t at all be a surprise if this ends up happening.

Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Pablo Lopez #49 of the Miami Marlins (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /

1. Pablo Lopez (or Sandy Alcantara!)

OK … so which pitcher are the Marlins going to deal? Conventional wisdom suggests Pablo Lopez, since Sandy Alcantara was recently signed to a long-term extension, but who’s to say the Dodgers can’t have their pick if they allow the Marlins to select a handful of prospects of their choosing in a potential trade? We’ve seen crazier things happen!

Anyway, Lopez, who previously led MLB in ERA (Alcantara does now!), is 4-2 with a 2.30 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 1.02 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 12 starts (70.1 innings). Alcantara is 6-2 with a 1.68 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 0.96 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 13 starts (91.1 innings). He leads MLB in innings pitched, batters faced, and hits per nine innings.

Both right-handers are among the best in the game, and the Marlins have a lot of other issues to address outside of their starting pitching (five of their top-10 prospects are pitchers and guys like Trevor Rogers and Jesus Luzardo are also at the MLB level despite struggling this year).

Miami needs an infusion of offense, since their only above-average hitters at the moment are Jazz Chisholm Jr. (who the team doesn’t like), Garrett Cooper and Jorge Soler. The Dodgers could certainly help on that front, while the Marlins would be trading from a position of strength both at the MLB level and minor-league level.

Neither will be cheap, though. Lopez is under club control through the 2024 season and is making just $2.5 million this year. Alcantara’s recent extension takes him through the 2026 season (with a $21 million team option for 2027). Both have longer-term control at tremendous prices.

But the Dodgers are staring down the barrel of a troubling situation. What if Buehler needs surgery? What if Kershaw retires after 2022? What if Urías leaves in free agency after 2023? The short-term status of LA’s rotation is up in the air and needs some stability. One of these guys would fix that in an instant.

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