LOS ANGELES, CA – The day seemed like it was going to be bleak. The Los Angeles Dodgers sleepwalked through the series finale against the San Francisco Giants in a 5-0 shutout loss to fall three games back of the first place Giants.
To make matters worse, while the Dodgers were losing that game, there was a report that another division foe, the San Diego Padres, were closing in on a deal for Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer, the best available pitcher on the trade market.
After years of dominating the division at a high level and winning three NL pennants in four seasons and reigning World Series champions, the Dodgers now find themselves in one of the most competitive divisions in the MLB. After being dormant for several years, both the Giants and Padres are competing hard against the Dodgers on the field and off of it trying to acquire any talent available to bolster their respective rosters.
It appears this battle was going to be won by the Padres. However, hours went by and the Twitter notifications went silent and any official word of Scherzer going to San Diego appeared to be on hold. The door was still open for team president Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers to make something happen here.
In the meantime, the other championship team in LA, the Lakers, made their own move with a Washington D.C. sports team acquiring former NBA MVP and nine-time All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook from the Wizards.
In the hours following the hoopla of that star acquisition, it was reported that the Dodgers were now finalizing a deal to acquire Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner for four minor league players, which included their top two prospects in pitcher Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz.
What a turn of events. The Dodgers went from losing out on a three-time Cy Young Award winner and an eight-time All-Star to their division rival and being in serious trouble to now adding him and a speedy, versatile position player to their talented, but banged-up roster.
The numerous injuries to star players, inconsistencies throughout the lineup, the ongoing investigation for Trevor Bauer, and a much more competitive division essentially propelled Friedman to make a bold move to stack the odds in the Dodgers’ favor in the crap shoot known as the MLB playoffs.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise since Friedman has been making these big trades at the deadline for years. Whether it was Chase Utley, Rich Hill, Yu Darvish, or Manny Machado, Friedman has found a way to patiently and methodically corner the market and make a significant trade for a star player who can impact the team.
Now he can add Scherzer and Turner to his distinguished resume of huge trade deadline moves, and these two could certainly top the list.
(Courtesy of MLB)
Scherzer is a gamer who wants the ball in big games and even at 37-years-old, he still has electric stuff and one of the most intense competitors in the game. With Bauer potentially done for the season and maybe even as a Dodger, Scherzer will step right into that front line starting role next to fellow aces Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, and Clayton Kershaw.
Not to mention since he wants a contract extension, Scherzer could be with the Dodgers for the next few years, if they can come to an agreement.
Turner is one of the more underrated players in baseball. While he’s mostly been playing shortstop, his speed and athleticism allows him to play anywhere, which will be key especially when Corey Seager returns. With Turner and a healthy Mookie Betts, who both have a unique combination of speed and power, they could reek havoc on the basepads and be table-setters for the big bats in the middle of the order.
Turner is also under contract through the 2022 season and with the uncertainty of Seager returning to the Dodgers next season, Freidman and the team at least have a backup plan at shortstop with Turner.
(Courtesy of The Barn Has Spoken)
It’s always tough to say goodbye to talented prospects especially of the caliber of Gray and Ruiz. However, you have to give to get. The Dodgers are in a win-now mode and sometimes that means mortgaging the future a little bit. We don’t know how great these prospects will be in the next few years, and the team can’t really afford to wait and see.
(Courtesy of Dodger Blue)
They’re trying to maximize this championship window and traded for two guys who are veterans of October and have the jewelry to prove it. The Dodgers have two months to get healthy, get revitalized, and get rolling so they can catch the Giants and reclaim their throne atop the NL West.
The Lakers and the Dodgers both got an infusion of star power on Thursday. LA fans should send D.C. a ‘Thank You’ note.
