3 pre-trade deadline solutions for Dodgers to address Glasnow, Snell injuries

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in quite a pickle as the calendar flips to May and a long road lies ahead to get to the trade deadline. Reinforcements are already critical for a rotation ravaged by injuries, as the frustratingly injury-prone Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow both will miss an undetermined amount of time with ominous shoulder inflammation.

The timing is inopportune, given that there is so much of the season to navigate before the trade deadline, which limits the team's options to bring in reinforcements. Fortunately, there are a few options on the table, even if they all leave something to be desired.

Los Angeles still has an elite farm system, ranked No. 4 by MLB Pipeline, and deep pockets, which both will be useful to acquire reinforcements at the deadline. However, no trades of consequence will be made until late July, as the baseball landscape settles and the contenders become separated from the pretenders.

With the free agent market at this point in the season being wholly unappealing, the Dodgers will have to rely on internal options to get them through the coming months. The good news is, there are various pathways they could take or use in conjunction with each other in order to survive until the deadline, when their options will be more robust.

These options can be broken down into four distinct categories: spot starters, bullpen conversions, returning veterans, and external fliers, each coming with its own pros and cons.

The Dodgers have some interesting spot starter options to fill in for Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow

The Dodgers have already gone to this well a couple of times on the young season, with both Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack already getting opportunities. Unfortunately, things did not go well for either in the aftermath of Snell's injury.

Wrobleski, 24, got hammered in his only big league start of the season, giving up eight earned runs and surrendering two homers in five innings of work. He also failed to impress in spot duty last season, posting a 5.70 ERA in 36.1 innings of work.

Things haven't gone much better for the young lefty at Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, with a 5.71 ERA in four starts and 17.1 innings of work. Still, he's had some minor league success previously, and may be called upon to make a few more spot starts until other options are ready to take the rubber in his stead.

Knack, 27, has made three appearances and two starts on the season, posting a putrid 7.23 ERA in the process. Last season, however, he was more successful in the role, making 12 starts (15 total appearances) and posting a 3.65 ERA in 69 innings. However, his FIP of 4.72 would indicate that he was actually much worse, and his propensity to give up the long ball (1.85 HR/9 last season) is worrisome.

Neither pitcher is an ideal option over a prolonged period of time, but they may be able to hold down the fort until some veteran reinforcements work their way back from injury. However, if that is the plan, there's another pathway the Dodgers can explore.

The Dodgers could consider stretching out a pair of relievers to bridge the gap in the starting rotation

Another pathway forward for the Dodgers is to look at a couple of multi-inning relievers as potential starters, at least in the short term. Rookie Ben Casparius has already made a case to be looked at this way, due to his exceptional performance as a multi-inning reliever.

Having already logged 21.2 innings in 11 appearances, Casparius has a stellar 2.91 ERA and 1.97 FIP on the season. With experience in the minors starting, the 26-year-old could, at least temporarily, take the reins and get the Dodgers through a few weeks as a starter with a short leash.

Joining him as a potential option as a reliever-turned-pseudo starter isrecent waiver claim Yoendrys Gómez. Like Casparius, Gómez has filled a multi-inning relief role, first for the New York Yankees and now with the Dodgers. However, despite some impressive results (like a 2.08 ERA), he's been less successful at limiting traffic.

Gómez has struggled with walks, allowing 6.23 BB/9 while also striking batters out at a pedestrian rate of 6.23 K/9. Those issues make his early-season success seem unsustainable, especially in a larger role. His 4.77 FIP is probably a better indication of how he's performed so far.

Still, Gómez, 25, has some upside and, like Casparius, has some minor league experience starting. He could join Casparius as a sort of hold-down-the-fort option until the cavalry comes.

Two recovering Dodgers' arms may satisfy the rotation needs, eventually

While they might not be immediate solutions, the Dodgers could turn to some veterans on the mend to fill the gaps until the deadline. Clayton Kershaw's exact return date is still unknown, but his rehab is underway. He should return in late May or early June.

Counting on Kershaw every fifth day so early in the season isn't the way it was drawn up when the 37-year-old southpaw re-upped for his 18th year in the bigs, but at this point, the Dodgers may need him to turn back the clock - at least for a little while - to carry them through.

Meanwhile, it's been an open question how much Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, will contribute on the mound this season. Ohtani, the hitter, is such an integral part of the team that his return to the mound will need to be handled with extreme care.

However, in terms of upside, Ohtani and his career 3.01 ERA is the best bet to get top-of-the-rotation performance from a talent perspective. That may not happen in time, and how much he can contribute is still hazy.

More than likely, a combination of all of the above options will be used, as the Dodgers mix and match their way to the trade deadline and then look to reel in a big fish to offset their losses. In the meantime, creativity and a next-man-up mentality will be paramount for the rotation's survival.