Getty Despite a record-breaking offseason, the Dodgers might still need pitching at the deadline. Could Logan Gilbert be a fit?
The Los Angeles Dodgers spent over $1 billion this past offseason to cement themselves as World Series contenders. Could Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert be their next big acquisition?
ESPN’s Dave Schoenfield thinks it’s possible if the M’s are struggling to compete as the July 30 trade deadline nears.
“Trading Gilbert, who is under team control through 2026 and whose contract starts getting expensive next season, could jump-start that by landing them the impact hitter this lineup desperately needs,” he said. “In that case, turn to the Orioles, Cubs, Yankees and Dodgers as potential trade partners.”
The 26-year-old is in his fourth MLB season in 2024. He’s been a consistent force for Seattle since his debut in 2021, and he’s off to a similar start through his first 27 innings. Gilbert has posted a 2.33 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 29 strikeouts. He’s making $4.05 million this season and actually has three more years of arbitration before hitting free agency following the 2027 season, per Spotrac.
Do the Los Angeles Dodgers Have Room for Logan Gilbert?
The Dodgers just completed a very expensive offseason in hopes of getting over the hump and returning to the World Series. However, manager Dave Roberts’ current pitching staff is thin because of injuries.
According to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource, the starting staff includes offseason acquisitions Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and James Paxton. They’re also joined by homegrown rookies Landon Knack and Gavin Stone. Los Angeles’ injured list would also make a pretty good rotation. Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler are both on the 15-day IL. Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Emmet Sheehan are all on the 60-day IL.
So, while the Dodgers spent a lot of money to supplement their 2024 roster, there’s an argument to be made that they’ll be in the market for another starting pitcher before the trade deadline. Gilbert would be an intriguing addition because he helps now and in the foreseeable future.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Are Looking to Erase Recent Disappointments 2024
No team has had more consistent regular season success over the past decade than the Dodgers. They’ve won the National League West title 10 times since 2013. The only time they didn’t was in 2022 when the San Francisco Giants won 107 games. Los Angeles wasn’t far behind them, though, winning 106 contests.
But the problem for the Dodgers has been capitalizing on this success in October. They’ve been to the World Series three times during this span, winning it all in 2020. The last three years have gotten progressively more disappointing after finally reaching the top of the mountain.
L.A. was eliminated in the 2021 National League Championship Series after those 106 regular season wins. That win total went up to 111 in 2022, but they were ousted in the National League Division Series. It got even worse in 2023. They entered as a 100-win team, only to see the 84-win Arizona Diamondbacks sweep them out of the NLDS.
After following these disappointments with a billion-dollar offseason, the Dodgers have an obvious win-now mentality. That will likely force them to remain aggressive for more impactful additions at the deadline. If the Mariners are out of contention and Gilbert is available, he’d make a lot of sense for Los Angeles.