3 nightmare scenarios for Dodgers at this year's MLB trade deadline

The Los Angeles Dodgers haven't missed the playoffs since 2012, and they've been in World Series-or-bust mode for what feels like forever. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Dodgers are "all in" on contending for a World Series this season (surprise, surprise), and they'll be eyeing some "big names" to improve their roster ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

There are very few teams expected to be true buyers at this year's deadline, but the Dodgers are one of them. They have some of the deepest pockets in baseball, not to mention a pretty stacked farm system, so they are well-positioned to make a splash (or several) on the trade market.

There is significant risk involved with being a deadline buyer, however. A lot could go wrong between now and July 30, throwing a wrench into the Dodgers' World Series aspirations. There's no question that the Dodgers will be active at the trade deadline, but as they see it, their real season begins in October. Timing is everything.

3 nightmare scenarios for Dodgers at this year's MLB trade deadline

Yet another Dodgers starting pitcher gets injured

Perhaps we'd best not even speak this one into existence. The Dodgers have suffered an unfathomable number of injuries to their pitching staff this season, with Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Yoshinobu Yamamoto all out for extended stretches. Glasnow and Kershaw are set to be reinstated this week, but with May out for the season and Buehler and Yamamoto on unclear return timelines, there are still plenty of holes to be filled.

The Dodgers should be in on absolutely every starting pitcher available at the deadline, with a specific focus on Chicago White Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty and/or Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. The Dodgers are also reportedly aiming for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, but that scenario is less likely. More on that later.

Dodgers don't get outfield help

Even with the injury to Mookie Betts, the state of the Dodgers' offense is far less dire than that of its starting rotation; they have Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Teoscar Hernández, after all. But outside of Hernández, the outfield remains a problem area in terms of offensive production. Jason Heyward, Andy Pages, Chris Taylor and James Outman have done little to contribute to the Dodgers' batting lineup; and with their pitching in a state of flux, they need offense now more than ever.

Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox and Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays have been linked to the Dodgers as players who could theoretically solve their outfield issues. Both would be massive upgrades to a Dodgers batting order that will be relied upon to carry much of the weight until their pitching situation stabilizes.

Dodgers acquire Tarik Skubal... and Javy Báez

Speaking of the unstable pitching situation, that brings us back to Skubal. The Tigers have all the leverage in any potential trade talks for their ace, given that he is still under team control for two more seasons and they aren't in any hurry to move him. That means they can afford to set his price tag extremely high and listen to offers from pitching-hungry teams like the Dodgers leading up to the trade deadline, even if they don't have any serious intention of moving him.

The Tigers will undoubtedly have several trade suitors interested in Skubal, and there's one way the Dodgers can set themselves apart from the competition – offering to take on Javy Báez's $70 million contract as part of a deal. In theory, this would significantly lower the cost of acquisition for Skubal, as it would take an enormous financial burden off of Detroit.

The Dodgers may be the only team in baseball that would realistically entertain the prospect of eating Báez's entire salary, but they would not be wise to do so. No one wants Báez on their roster, even if he's just passing through en route to an inevitable release. There's no way the Dodgers are that desperate (hopefully).

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