Dodgers’ Deepening Dilemma Revealed as Top Insider Demands Urgent Action Before Trade Deadline

The 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers are a portrait of conflicting realities. On one hand, they are a machine, an unstoppable offensive force seemingly constructed for world domination. On the other hand, a storm is brewing as an injury crisis of unparalleled proportions threatens their championship ambitions. The front office preaches patience, trust in the cavalry coming back from the injured list. That is the hope, General Manager Brandon Gomes highlighted, saying, “The expectation is we will have all we need in-house.” But this high-stakes waiting game carries immense risk, a risk that one insider says the Dodgers can no longer afford.

The core of this turbulence is undeniable and statistically vivid. The team’s pitching is simply not at a championship level. The Dodgers, believe it or not, had a 4.13 team ERA as of mid-June, ranking a low as 22nd in all of baseball. They give up 4.54 runs per game. This isn’t a new problem; it’s a persistent strain. The clearest symptom was made evident by an early May report: Dodgers relievers had logged the most innings in MLB, while the starters had pitched the fewest. This profound imbalance reveals a rotation unable to go deep, placing an unsustainable burden on the bullpen.

This precarious situation has prompted concerned voices to speak up, none more urgently than Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation. On a recent ‘Dodgers Dougout Live’ episode, McKain laid out a stark warning for the front office. “I think that one thing the Dodgers need to do is they need to be honest with themselves about their reliance on the guys they have internally,” he pleaded. McKain fears the team’s cautious approach with injured stars won’t leave enough time for a proper evaluation before the July 31 trade deadline, potentially leaving them empty-handed as other teams begin to sell.

McKain’s argument centers on a crucial uncertainty. He names the biggest hopes for the rotation like Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, and Shohei Ohtani, and poses the vital question. While their talent is undeniable, “there is a doubt about how much they can endure and how much they can shoulder the load.” His solution is blunt but pragmatic. “I would prefer to get these guys back as soon as possible to see if they’re going to break down,” he stated, arguing that even a setback would provide “more clarity about what you need at the trade deadline.“

While McKain’s perspective underscores the urgency of testing the rotation’s limits, the reality facing the team is far from straightforward. The health and availability of these marquee arms remain in flux, leaving the organization to navigate a stretch defined by both high expectations and persistent uncertainty.

Dodgers’ resilience in the relief corps

The names McKain mentioned form the epicenter of the crisis. Blake Snell (left shoulder) and Tyler Glasnow (right shoulder) both are on the 60-day IL and not expected back until after the All-Star break. Sasaki is dealing with shoulder impingement with an unclear timeline. And while Ohtani’s rehab from surgery is progressing, his return to the mound is also a post-All-Star break projection. This quartet embodies the team’s huge offseason investment and best hope for an elite rotation, but the collective return is still a huge question mark.

This problem is about much more than those four. The casualty list is starting to get a little overflowing for the Dodgers. Starter Tony Gonsolin recently went on the IL because of elbow soreness. The true victims here are the bullpen, most devastatingly by the season-ending Tommy John surgery for high-leverage arm Evan Phillips. Key setup men, Blake Treinen (forearm) and Brusdar Graterol (shoulder), are also sidelined. The sheer volume of injuries to pitchers like Emmet Sheehan, Kyle Hurt, and Gavin Stone has totally drained the organization of its depth and generated a full-scale emergency.

This has left Dave Roberts, the manager, to patch together a rotation with a rotating cast of fill-ins. The mixed results have further strained the bullpen. Landon Knack holds a 5.12 ERA after he was recently hit hard. Justin Wrobleski lost in his only start, with four runs allowed. While Ben Casparius has shown promise with a 2.93 ERA, primarily as a reliever, his emergence as a potential opener is a solution born of necessity, not strategy.

Somehow, despite all of that, the bullpen has been incredibly resilient. Relievers have been forced into an elevated role, and many have excelled. Alex Vesia has been a reliable presence, and Lou Trivino has a win and a tidy 1.74 ERA. Tanner Scott has emerged as the top closer for the Orioles with 11 saves.

These arms are the glue that have kept the pitching rotation in one piece, fighting each night to keep the team in the game and providing some sense of hope among the ruins.