Dodgers Rumors: Marlins’ asking price for Pablo Lopez was insane

Though they didn’t come out of the trade deadline with a blockbuster acquisition, the Los Angeles Dodgers are well equipped to make a World Series run. That said, it would’ve been nice to get some top-end starting rotation or bullpen help. Can’t win ’em all.

Andrew Friedman tried, though! According to reports, Miami Marlins starter Pablo Lopez was a target of LA’s, but the two sides couldn’t pull off a deal. The New York Yankees were involved as well, and they didn’t get anything done, either.

Turns out, the Marlins and general manager Kim Ng were asking for a king’s ransom in exchange for Lopez, likely after Luis Castillo went to the Seattle Mariners for a haul of top prospects. But Miami didn’t stop there.

In the talks with the Yankees, Gleyber Torres’ name came up. That was IN ADDITION to top prospects, based on the buzz that’s surfaced since. For the Dodgers, Miami reportedly asked for Gavin Lux and THREE prospects.

Lopez has burst onto the scene these last two years. In his last 41 starts, he’s 12-11 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 234 strikeouts across 221.1 innings. He’s also under club control through the 2024 season. That said, the Marlins’ ask was excessive.

The Dodgers avoided the Marlins’ wild asking price for Pablo Lopez

To be honest, the talks should’ve probably stopped at Lux! He’s under club control through 2026 and has been one of the most productive hitters in the NL this year, which has served as a breakout campaign for the 24-year-old. He’s slashing .298/.373/.427 with 52 runs scored, 4 homers, 32 RBI, 6 stolen bases, and a 123 OPS+. And he can play multiple positions on defense.

Seemed like a reasonable swap that would’ve benefitted both teams, no? Three prospects on top of that would’ve been a loss for the Dodgers, no matter how you look at it. Lopez does come cheap at $2.45 million this year, but he just hit a career high in innings pitched for a single season when he crossed 103 a few weeks ago and has yet to make more than 21 starts in a single season.

Not to mention, he has a history of right shoulder injuries.

Lopez would’ve undoubtedly deepened the Dodgers’ rotation and given them more of an avenue to really use Walker Buehler and/or Dustin May out of the bullpen once they return from their injuries.

But to sacrifice an important piece on the MLB roster in Lux plus three prospects (likely two top-10s) would’ve set LA back both in the short-term and the foreseeable future, depending upon who the Marlins were eyeing.

Long story short, this is why the Dodgers are the Dodgers and the Marlins are the Marlins.

Biggest takeaways from the Dodgers’ trade deadline moves

The Los Angeles Dodgers did not make any massive trades at the trade deadline but there are still some big takeaways from what did happen.