The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently on top of the NL West with an 80-54 record. They are currently four games ahead of the second place Arizona Diamondbacks, the team who eliminated them from the playoffs last year. If the Dodgers hope to hold off the Diamondbacks this season, then some reinforcements wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.
Manager Dave Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman have a strong team that is getting healthier as the season progresses, but more talent is never a bad idea. The team added starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and utilityman Tommy Edman, among others, at the trade deadline. Starting pitcher Walker Buehler recently returned from injury, and there is a lot of talent waiting in the wings for a chance to contribute.
Some of that talent is currently in the minor leagues. Yet, some of those minor leaguers are ready to take that next step. The Dodgers have quite a few players in both Double and Triple A ready to help the major league club out. Here are three names that can step in and help Los Angeles make another postseason run, and possibly help the squad win their first World Series title since 2020.
1. Dodgers could use Dalton Rushing sooner rather than later
Currently ranked as the number one prospect in the Dodgers organization by MLB.com, Rushing has since added the ability to play in the outfield. This in addition to his play behind the plate at catcher could make him an invaluable addition to the team that calls Chavez Ravine home.
While Rushing could be the Dodgers' long-term starter at the backstop, the key is figuring out how they can get his bat in the lineup right now. The organization's top pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the 23-year-old former Louisville Cardinal has made a rapid rise since joining Los Angeles. After playing at High-A for the entirety of the 2023 season, Rushing started this season at Double-A before moving on to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Between both levels, he's hitting .279 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs. Since moving up to OKC, he's been on a tear, hitting .308 with five round trippers and 15 runs driven in over 78 at-bats. He's still learning how to play the outfield, particularly left field, on the fly. However, if he shows that he can handle the position on a regular basis, then don't be surprised to see him ply his trade in the City of Angels in the regular season's last few weeks.
Furthermore, if he performs well in his potential stint with the MLB squad, then Rushing's tenure could continue in the form of October baseball.
2. Could Alex Freeland help middle infield?
A switch-hitting middle infielder who has followed a similar trajectory to Rushing's in the minors, Freeland could also help out the big-league club over the last few weeks of the season. The team traded for middle infielder Amed Rosario at the deadline, but they already had to let him go due to a roster crunch. Due to that, the team's depth in the infield is not as deep as Roberts would probably like.
Mookie Betts started the year at shortstop but has since been moved back to right field after he returned from injury. If the club promotes Rushing, that will also help the outfield depth. Freeland would address the need in the infield. Plus, he's a contact-oriented hitter who produces from both sides of the plate, a skillset that has been apparent at both stops in Double and Triple-A.
Although he's been scuffling a bit since moving to Oklahoma City (a .203 batting average over 74 at-bats), an adjustment period is not unexpected by any means. Will Freeland show enough in the final minor league stop before the majors to be promoted this season? It's certainly possible, particularly as the Dodgers get closer and closer to a postseason berth.
3. Edgardo Henriquez could continue phenomenal 2024 ascent
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Starting the season off in Low-A after missing all of 2023 due to Tommy John surgery, Henriquez is now on the verge of making the major league roster. The Dodgers' bullpen has been up and down all season long, and it could benefit from more arms that have strikeout stuff. Well, Henriquez certainly has that. The 22-year-old features a nasty slider that reaches the low-90s in velocity, while his fastball peaks at over 100 miles an hour. In fact, that pitch has been clocked as high as 103 MPH on a few different occasions.
“Pitchers for Oklahoma City, the AAA affiliate of the Dodgers, have thrown 39 fastballs at 100 mph or more this season,” said X (formerly Twitter) user Josh Thomas a few days ago. “Edgardo Henriquez has 33 of them. In just 5.2 innings.”
The club has cycled through multiple relievers throughout the season, and adding an arm like Henriquez to the mix could be a smart idea. His control might not be the best, but as a reliever, the focus is more on how the raw stuff translates to the mound. Scouts, analysts and fans have noticed just how good the young pitcher can be. Bringing him to Dodger Stadium to see if his talent can translate under the bright lights of Tinseltown may just be the best thing for his development.
Who knows: maybe Henriquez will be the guy that clinches the next playoff berth for the Dodgers. That would be a welcome sight for all of those who root who the boys in white and blue.
