3 MLB All-Stars that could be Dodgers by August 1

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Despite this season's ups and downs, the Los Angeles Dodgers went into the MLB All-Star break in a deadlock tie for first place in the National League West with the Arizona Diamondbacks. LA is in a good position to make a run in the second half and hopefully make a deeper one in October.

If the Dodgers are going to win the World Series in 2023, however, then the team is going to need to add talent at the trade deadline. With a loaded farm system and prospects to spare, Los Angeles could make serious noise within the next few weeks to disrupt the entire dynamic of the league.

Like Manny Machado in 2018 or Max Scherzer and Trea Turner in 2021, the Dodgers may add to their 2023 All-Star total with a trade before this year's August 1 deadline. And there are more that might be available than you originally thought.

3 MLB All-Stars that could be traded to the Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani

We cannot put together an All-Star trade list without including Shohei Ohtani, who is undoubtedly the best player on the planet. The Dodgers are already considered the favorites to sign Ohtani this winter, but what if the team brought him to LA a bit early?

As great as Ohtani is, the price would be doable for the Dodgers. The Angels will get the best trade return in MLB history (or second-best since it might be hard to top the Padres' package for Juan Soto) for half-season of a player. If any team has the ammunition to spare, it's the Dodgers.

This would get Ohtani in the building for this year's World Series push and would allow the Dodgers to get a head start on extension talks. The only player the Dodgers have signed to a massive long-term contract has been Mookie Betts, who the team traded for first. Perhaps Ohtani could follow in his footsteps.

Will Arte Moreno and the Angels actually be able to stomach trading the most dominant player in MLB history? It doesn't appear so. But it's the best thing for the franchise, and if the Angels keep sliding maybe Ohtani himself will force the deal.

Brent Rooker

Brent Rooker definitely isn't a big-name All-Star this year. If MLB didn't have the one All-Star representative per team rule, then he wouldn't be here. There are several players in the league that have had better seasons thus far than Rooker but didn't benefit from the rest their team being horrible.

That's not to say that Rooker hasn't been impressive, though. He's definitely an above-average MLB hitter this season, batting .246 with an .826 OPS and 135 OPS+. He has slugged 16 home runs, 12 doubles and has driven in 44 RBI so far.

Rooker would rank fifth on the Dodgers in OPS behind the All-Star quartet of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and J.D. Martinez. He's exactly the kind of right-handed bat the Dodgers are looking to add before the deadline.

Rooker's price does go up a bit because of the several years of team control, but he still should be more than obtainable. Someone like Michael Busch would be suitable to convince the Athletics to trade Rooker, and even that might be too much.

The corner outfielder would slot nicely as a right-handed option in left field, essentially erasing the need for Trayce Thompson to return from the 60-day IL.

Marcus Stroman

If the Dodgers wanted to make a huge splash at the deadline that isn't Shohei Ohtani, then they should give the Chicago Cubs a call for Marcus Stroman, who has had a great 2023 campaign thus far with a 2.96 ERA across 112.2 innings pitched.

Los Angeles has a lot of pitching depth this season, but with injuries and inexperience in the rotation, it would benefit the team to add a legitimate MLB veteran that can pitch early in a playoff series.

This would give the Dodgers a tough 1-3 of Julio Urías, Clayton Kershaw and Stroman. Then the team would have an assortment of young and established pitchers to utilize, as well as a potentially-returning Walker Buehler.

Stroman has a player option for the 2024 season that he will almost certainly opt to not excercise if he continues to have a successful campaign. It'll give him another chance to test free agency. After a career year at the age of 32, Stroman is more than likely going to look for that one final payday.

The Cubs do not have the ability to give Stroman the qualifying offer, meaning that the team won't even get a draft pick for losing him in free agency. Unless Chicago wants to re-sign him long-term, it makes the most sense to trade him now while his value is at its peak. And the price may not be prohibitive because he'll likely hit the open market in a few months. Something to consider.

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3 MLB All-Stars that could be traded to the Dodgers

Brent Rooker

Marcus Stroman

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