Remember when the Dodgers’ attempts to repair Joey Gallo were a monumental waste of time?
In 2022, the Los Angeles Dodgers were stacked with talent. It was only the fifth occasion in Major League Baseball (MLB) history that a team reached 111 victories, which Los Angeles eventually accomplished.
With so much talent already on their roster, the Dodgers did not need to make significant trade deadline additions. Instead, the team made minor adjustments and gambled on once-prominent power-hitting outfielder Joey Gallo. With Cody Bellinger in the midst of a difficult stretch, the Dodgers hoped they could repair one of their hard-hitting lefties.
This did not occur. Gallo’s struggles continued in Los Angeles, where he concluded his brief Dodgers career with a batting average of.162 and an OPS of.670. As a consequence, the Dodgers did not give him a single plate appearance in the postseason.
Now, one year later, the Dodgers are in the same position at the top of the NL West, but their roster has been decimated by injuries and is less accomplished than it was one year ago. However, the trade deadline actions have been comparable. Just as they did with Gallo, the Dodgers have gambled on Kiké Hernandez and Amed Rosario, two players who have been awful this season. And let us inform you, we wrote this before Joe Kelly and Lance Lynn were added!
Clearly, the Dodgers learned nothing from the Joey Gallo trade.
There are distinctions between the Gallo trade and the two other trades made this week. Gallo was exchanged for the Yankees’ pitching prospect Clayton Beeter, who has compiled a 2.50 ERA in the minor leagues this season. Hernandez was acquired in exchange for two Triple-A relievers, and Rosario was obtained in exchange for the struggling Noah Syndergaard. The cost incurred by the Dodgers was minimal.
In addition, there is still an opportunity for the team to make more decisive decisions. Even though these are the first two transactions the Dodgers have made, that does not mean they will be the last. If they are, however, fans should be angry.
Yes, Hernandez’s return to Los Angeles is legitimately thrilling, and Rosario does hit left-handed pitchers reasonably well. But both players have been abysmal this season, and the Dodgers’ overconfidence in their ability to repair players could be detrimental. This team requires significantly more than two initiatives that may not succeed. Is this option significantly superior to simply providing Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch playing time?
Is it reasonable to expect the Dodgers to acquire a powerhouse at the trade deadline? Probably not, particularly considering that teams such as the Los Angeles Angels will likely overpay for players such as Lucas Giolito. But if this team wishes to have a shot at the World Series this year, there must be greater “improvements” than those already made.
The front office and Andrew Friedman have until August 1 to make a decision. Let’s hope that something more substantial is percolating in the chamber.