3 NL teams Dodgers need to be worried about at trade deadline

It’s true, the Los Angeles Dodgers usually run the show at the trade deadline, but this year’s National League playoff race — especially with an expanded field for the first time, signaling a true chaotic deadline on the calendar — is going to be baseball’s version of the Wild West.

On top of that, the Dodgers’ needs — pitching in all areas, outfielders and depth — are just about what everyone else will be looking for. And those contending this year who have yet to sniff a fraction of LA’s success over the last decade might be a little bit more desperate to pay escalated prices in the name of making things happen now.

In the NL, there are two division races separated by two games or fewer and a Wild Card race with six teams realistically in contention. That latter aspect of the playoff race is what the Dodgers might have to worry about in the weeks leading up until Aug. 2.

The expanded playoff format has now created a sense of “anything can happen,” much like the NFL’s way of doing business. Just get in and let destiny take care of the rest. Get hot at the right time, and you might just be on the fast track to the Fall Classic.

Not to mention, some of these teams possess a “now or never” mentality given the work they’ve conducted in free agency and on the trade market the last few years.

In Andrew Friedman we trust, but a number of other executives will be out for blood in their attempt to acquire more top talent before the window closes.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Don’t laugh, Dodgers fans! Dave Dombrowski’s work on the 2018 Boston Red Sox sank you in the World Series! Yeah … we didn’t think Steve Pearce was much of an acquisition either, but here we are.

Now, Dombrowski’s running the show in Philly, and the Phillies cannot afford to miss the playoffs again. They’re one game out of a Wild Card spot and eight games back of the Mets in the NL East, but possess a pretty fearful lineup when Bryce Harper is healthy and the rest of their sluggers are close to the top of their game.

Plus, with Harper injured, the Phillies will be in the market for another outfield slugger who they’ll be able to deploy at DH once Harper is ready to return. That’s not their chief need, though — like the Dodgers, they need any and all pitching possible.

Though they have the 26th-ranked farm system, Dombrowski is famous for gutting a franchise’s arsenal of prospects in the name of winning right now. No reason to think that philosophy will change, which will make the Phillies a threat in the chase for most available names at the deadline.

2. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals might as well be in the NL West given the “rivalry” with the Dodgers. Yup, the pain still runs deep from 2013 and 2014. Anyway, have you seen their head-to-head regular season matchups?! It’s 1,036-1,034 in favor of the Dodgers as of Wednesday. Absolutely insane.

You might not have realized it, but the Cards have been disappointing since their 2013 World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox. They missed the postseason three times entirely, couldn’t get past the Wild Card round twice, and got whomped in the NLCS twice since then.

The tides might be turning, though, with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado playing like MVP candidates. Add in the emergences of Brendan Donovan, Juan Yepez and Nolan Gorman, and St. Louis has something here (not to mention Tommy Edman, Dylan Carlson, Harrison Bader and Tyler O’Neill, the latter two of whom are dealing with injuries).

St. Louis is armed with a decent amount of asset power with the 16th-ranked farm system, which they can afford to sacrifice, since a number of their younger guys are in the bigs. For the first time in a while, their bullpen seems to be solid, but more help there couldn’t hurt. A starter or two is almost mandatory to acquire if they want to make a run. They also can’t rule out an impact bat since … far too many regulars are hovering around or are below league-average production on offense.

They’re not fully healthy at the moment, and the Dodgers experienced how pesky they can be on Tuesday night. That trend worsening would be infuriating for LA in the playoffs, especially if they swipe some of Friedman’s desired targets.