Dodgers fans' trade deadline dream officially dies with Twins' latest injury

While the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a living with headline-grabbing moves for stars in the offseason, the trade deadline is a different story. Not only does Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman abhor overpaying at the trade deadline, but the market this year just doesn't really have the impact players one would want for that strategy anyway. However, that did not stop some Dodgers fans from dreaming about a Byron Buxton trade.

And what a year it was to dream with how Buxton was performing. When he is right, Buxton is as toolsy and impactful as any player in baseball with a blend of power, speed, and just pure athleticism that is rarely seen even in the big leagues. While both the Twins and Buxton seemed to have little interest in parting ways, that did not stop folks from trying to find a path to a trade given the Twins' status as deadline sellers.

However, Buxton's lack of availability in a trade is not the only obstacle when it comes to acquiring him. Buxton famously cannot stay healthy and this year is no different as Minnesota unfortunately just had to place Buxton on the IL with rib inflammation.

Dodgers fans' favorite trade target Byron Buxton just went down with another injury

Buxton has been dealing with discomfort in his ribs for a few days now. The Twins had initially been optimistic that he would avoid the IL, but clearly something has changed and he needs time on the shelf. This is an unfortunate pattern with Buxton as he is brilliant when he plays, but his body seems to be made of glass as he has not played more than 102 games since 2017.

Trading for Buxton was always a longshot for the Dodgers, but that door is officially closed now that he's out for at least a couple weeks. LA has been turning over every stone in their search for outfield help and we could see more urgency in pursuit of Brendan Donovan and/or Harrison Bader ... though if the Twins need outfielders it's possible Bader may not be on the table anymore unless the offers are extremely attractive.

Right now, the odds of a blockbuster trade from the Dodgers in the next 48 hours or so seem extremely low. However, maybe they'll find another dark horse dream candidate to make a real run at.

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