As Los Angeles chases another championship, balancing prospect capital with veteran needs remains vital. From Detroit's elite arms to Milwaukee’s infield depth, these five clubs offer potential.
It'll be interesting to see which team, if any, is able to work out a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers this season.
LA isn't keen on giving up any of their top prospects, but they're going to have to let someone go if they're trying to bring in a guy like Tarik Skubal.
Dodgers reporter Katie Woo of The Athletic recently put together a list of logical trade partners for the back-to-back World Series champions, and it includes a few teams Dodgers fans may not expect.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers have one of, if not MLB's, the best farm systems in all of baseball. They're once again on a collision course with LA, though history tends to favor the Dodgers in the postseason. That said, Woo acknowledges catching and infield depth seems to be their two biggest needs.
Milwaukee has already given catcher Jefferson Quero a shot in the big leagues, and they've recently called up prized infielder Cooper Pratt. Would the Brewers even entertain an offer from the Dodgers? That remains to be seen.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners continue to give Milwaukee a run for its money as to which team has the better farm system. Both the Brewers and Mariners lead their respective divisions, so it's not like either team is sellers at the deadline. It's not impossible for the Dodgers to make a deal with either, but they must tread lightly when it comes to these two organizations.
St. Louis Cardinals
When it comes to catching prospects, look no further than Rainiel Rodriguez. The 19-year-old could be an untouchable in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, but there's also a chance they're willing to listen to offers. A one-year rental like pitcher Eric Lauer wouldn't help them, but if the Dodgers are serious, they could find a deal to put together that would benefit them in the long run.
Washington Nationals
The Cardinals undoubtedly have the best catcher for the Dodgers to go after, but the Washington Nationals have a ton of credible infield prospects that could give LA a leg up on their competition.
Detroit Tigers
Woo didn't mention the Tigers, but Dodgers fans continue to go back to a potential Tarik Skubal trade. Eric Lauer would almost certainly need to be included in that package, if not a prospect like River Ryan as well.
The Detroit Tigers have hit rock bottom this season, so they're poised to be sellers, it's just a matter of who wins the Skubal sweepstakes.
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