4 rentals Dodgers need to avoid at trade deadline to better prepare for 2024

Luis Severino

The New York Yankees don't yet know what they're doing at the trade deadline, but one thing we do know is that they reportedly have a desire to shave some payroll. Look no further than them trying to offload Luis Severino, who is making $15 million this year and will not be returning to the Bronx once he hits free agency because of how bad his tenure has been ever since signing his four-year extension.

Despite his previous ace-like showings in 2017 and 2018, the Dodgers shouldn't be enticed to go after him, even if he will be cheap from a prospect-cost perspective (the Yankees probably won't care about the return, they will just want the money gone).

Severino has been dreadful in more ways than one. He's been dinged by both serious and nagging ailments on an alarming, consistent basis since the second half of the 2018 season. He's consistently struggled with his command and mechanics, which has resulted in a velocity dip. And when he loses his location as his fastball dips a few MPH, he gets destroyed, as evidenced by his scary peripheral metrics (legitimately one of the worst pitchers in MLB).

Potential suitors might consider shifting him to the bullpen since he can still hit 100 MPH on the radar gun, but is it worth it for a contender to attempt a role shift with a player who's constantly in his own head? Severino owns a 6.46 ERA, 6.30 FIP and 1.73 WHIP in his 11 starts this year. Though his last two have looked better, they're nothing to buy stock in.