5 massive missed opportunities Dodgers squandered at trade deadline

RHP Aaron Civale

The reason why the Dodgers didn't work out a deal for Aaron Civale is pretty obvious: LA refuses to give up their top 100 prospects in the farm. That reluctance is also why the first two trades on this list are smaller names. However, Civale is under control through the 2025 season. With Clayton Kershaw's current pace of going year-by-year with his contracts, and Julio Urías being a free agent after this season, the future of the Dodgers' starting rotation is uncertain, to say the least. The extra insurance of having a starter with two years of control would've been massive for the Dodgers, and despite the unwillingness to trade top prospects, this could have been an easy deal for LA to make.

Michael Busch has been a big-name prospect in the Dodgers system for years, and is currently LA's No. 2 prospect, and the No. 34 prospect in the majors. However, Busch's path to major-league playing time remains unclear, as he's blocked by Max Muncy and (to an extent) Miguel Vargas. If he's not going to have an opportunity to prove himself, why not trade him? First baseman Kyle Manzardo is ranked No. 37 overall and that was all the Rays gave up to acquire Civale. Based on the trade the Guardians accepted for Civale, it's likely that Busch for Civale might have been enough. And while it's possible the Dodgers never inquired about Civale because he was a lower-value trade target than Eduardo Rodriguez or Justin Verlander, Civale would have been a great fit, especially if they worked a package deal with Rosario. His 2.34 ERA this season surely would have raised the floor of the Dodgers' starting rotation.