The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without both Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for some time. General manager Brandon Gomes addressed the injuries, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. Gomes believes the club will likely keep their trade deadline plans as a reaction.
“I actually don’t think it meaningfully changes anything at this point,” Gomes said. “With the expectation that those guys are gonna be back for the postseason.”
Betts was hit by a pitch on his hand and suffered a fracture. His recovery timeline is expected to be six to eight weeks. Yamamoto’s injury will likely keep him out longer with his strained rotator cuff. However, the Dodgers are expecting him back at some point this season.
Brandon Gomes: Injuries Won’t Impact Trade Deadline Plans
Losing Betts and Yamamoto is a massive loss. Betts was hitting .304/.405/.488 and has more walks than strikeouts this year. Outs Above Average has him at -4 this year, but Defensive Runs Saved puts him at +4. His 3.5 fWAR is second in the National League to Shohei Ohtani. Meanwhile, Yamamoto has a 2.92 ERA through 14 starts in his first taste of major league action.
It’s understandable why the Dodgers don’t plan to hit the panic button and change gears. Los Angeles is 46-30 and the only club above .500 in the NL West. The Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres are below .500. Each of those three teams are close to ten games back. That gives the Dodgers more breathing room and strong odds to win the division again. FanGraphs playoff odds give the Dodgers a 95.8 percent chance of taking the West.
The Dodgers Still Have a Healthy Team
Without Yamamoto and Walker Buehler, who also landed on the injured list both out, the Dodgers still have a healthy rotation. Tyler Glasnow, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, and James Paxton have put up substantial numbers across the board. Landon Knack is on the 40-man roster and is pitching in Triple-A. Knack could potentially come up to replace Buehler. They still have Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, and Kyle Hurt as options to come off the injured list after the All-Star break.
Even with the Dodgers’ extensive starting pitching depth, they will find a way to get through the remainder of the season. The larger question will be whether they have enough for a strong postseason rotation.
In his article, Harris suggests the Dodgers will focus on high-impact starters, including Garrett Crochet and Jesús Luzardo. Both of those pitchers will come with high asking prices in return.
The Thinking is Similar at Shortstop
Los Angeles can get buy for now, with Miguel Rojas taking over for Betts. Rojas is an excellent fielder who isn’t flashy at the plate, with a career slash line of .259/.312/.357. However, he’s having a strong season, hitting .288/.33/.448 in 2024. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Dodgers monitor the middle infield market in the coming weeks while Betts is out. Gavin Lux has seen plenty of playing time at second base but is hitting .212/.261/.383. Chris Taylor switches between the infield and outfield, but like Lux, he is hitting a brutal .155/.211/.177 line. Cavan Biggio is only on board as extra infield help while Max Muncy remains out.
No matter what the Dodgers do, they will keep Betts at shortstop. If they want a more experienced option, Harris lists Bo Bichette and Willy Adames as ideal fits. Other shortstop targets could come from Paul DeJong or Tim Anderson, but he’s performing worse than last year.
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