Dodgers Rumors: 2 underwhelming trade targets emerge for LA (including 1 reunion)

Despite their record and overall success, the story of the Los Angeles Dodgers' season has to be the scale of their injury issues.

The Dodgers have 13 pitchers on the injured list, most of them starters. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has held LA's rotation down all season with a 2.76 ERA over 84.2 innings, but he can't do it alone. Shohei Ohtani made his surprise return to the mound on June 16, but pitched just one inning. Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Roki Sasaki and plenty of other pitchers remain sidelined as the trade deadline approaches.

MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports that the Dodgers may consider adding starting pitching before the second half of the season. There are close playoff races throughout MLB, so the buyers and sellers haven't been fully set for this year, but MLB insider Mark Feinsand listed a few starting pitcher trade options for LA to consider. Both are rather underwhelming, but when a club has 13 hurlers on the IL, it can't afford to be too picky.

Feinsand's first suggestion is Pirates pitcher (and former Dodger) Andrew Heaney. The lefty has pitched to a 3.10 ERA with 110 strikeouts over 72.2 innings when he was with the team. Much like the Dodgers' current pitchers, Heaney spent quite a bit of time on the IL during his tenure in LA proper (he also pitched in parts of seven seasons with the Angels).

MLB insider Mark Feinsand proposes underwhelming Dodgers trades for Andrew Heaney or Zack Littell before trade deadline

Heaney has posted a 3.94 ERA over 82.1 innings this season. His 3-6 record is misleading due to the Pirates' underwhelming offense. Heaney logs strikeouts at a much lower clip than he did when he pitched with the Dodgers, and has 61 on his stat sheet this year, alongside 27 walks, just a tick below the league average.

If Heaney doesn't suit the Dodgers' fancy, Feinsand also named Rays righty Zack Littell as another rotation option. Littell, 29, is an eight-year MLB veteran and formerly pitched for the division-rival Giants in 2021-22.

Littell has clocked a 3.88 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 11 walks over 92.2 innings with Tampa Bay this season. His walk rate ranks in the 99th percentile according to Baseball Savant, which could serve the Dodgers well, as they've awarded the fifth-most free passes in MLB this season.

Better starting pitcher trade options will emerge as the deadline gets closer, and the Dodgers have more than enough top prospect capital to net the best possible help for their haggard rotation. But if they had to choose either Heaney or Littell, Heaney seems like the better choice due to his veteran status and his experience winning a World Series with the Rangers in 2023. Not to mention, with the Rays now back in contention, we're not so sure Littell will even be available.