There’s an old adage in Major League Baseball that an organization can never have enough pitching depth.
The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t lack starting pitchers, but a few of their top arms are on the shelf with injuries. Blake Snell is on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder soreness, and Clayton Kershaw made his first rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City last Wednesday.
Snell and Kershaw should return to the pitcher’s mound at the Major League level in the coming weeks. Regardless, the Dodgers may look to add to their rotation if they are unsure of Snell’s recovery timeline.
On Tuesday, Newsweek’s Zach Pressnell identified Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott as a potential trade target for the Dodgers.
“Abbott is a potential ace who’s already proved to be a solid innings-eater,” Pressnell wrote. “He’s under team control for quite a long time. The Dodgers could add him to the roster as a consistent piece of an injury-plagued rotation for the next few years.”
Abbott does not reach free agency until 2030 and has made two starts for the Reds in 2025, allowing just two earned runs and four hits in 11 innings. He fared well in 2024 with a 118 ERA+ and 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
In Pressnell’s trade idea, the Dodgers send three players to the Reds: Catcher/outfielder Dalton Rushing, outfielder Eduardo Quintero, and left-handed pitcher Justin Wrobleski.
Rushing is the top player in the return for the Reds. He ranks as the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect on MLB Pipeline and is nearing an MLB promotion, slugging .512 with an .856 OPS and 26 home runs between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2024.
Wrobleski made one start for the Dodgers but is back in the minors after allowing eight earned runs in five innings to the Washington Nationals on April 8.
Without injury woes to the Dodgers’ rotation, this trade may not be feasible. However, their depth around the diamond in MLB could allow them to offload prospects for a controllable arm like Abbott.
