Dodgers Dilemma: Which Starting Pitchers Can Be Traded For?

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Oakland Athletics (41-50, last place in American League West) –

Scott Kazmir: Since re-joining the league in 2013 after missing the 2012 season, Kazmir has been one of the more consistent pitchers in baseball. He was an All-Star for the Athletics last season and is currently outperforming those numbers from a year ago.

In 101.1 innings pitched, he has posted a 2.49 ERA and 3.18 FIP — good for 2.5 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball-Reference.

Predicted cost: Kazmir should command a nice haul for the Athletics, despite being a free agent in the offseason — possibly a top-5 prospect, assuming teams won’t be scared off by a couple minor injuries he endured since the month of June. Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi, who was an executive with the Athletics from 2005-2014, has strong connections with his former organization, so it wouldn’t be surprising if these two teams matched up on a deal.

Philadelphia Phillies (29-62, last place in National League East) –

Cole Hamels: With the Phillies’ front office going through significant changes, it seems inevitable that Hamels will be dealt by July 31 as they hope to speed up their rebuilding process. He will be the most sought after pitcher as he consistently puts up elite numbers every season, not to mention the remaining duration of his team-friendly contract (four years, $90.5 million).

So far in 2015, he’s totaled 116.2 innings while posting a 3.63 ERA and 3.41 FIP. Those numbers are a bit skewed, as he allowed nine earned runs in 3.1 innings against the San Francisco Giants on July 10, raising his ERA over 60 points in that start.

Predicted cost: Since last July 31, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has been adamant that he receives at least one top prospect for Hamels. For the Dodgers’ sake, that means giving up one of Urias or Seager in the deal, mid-tier prospects, and probably a Major League-ready player such as Alex Guerrero (though he could opt out the following year if traded) or Scott Van Slyke.

Dodgers shortstop Jimmy Rollins has already advocated for trading for Hamels, but whether Friedman and Zaidi are willing to give up a hefty package for him remains to be seen.

San Diego Padres (41-49, fourth place in National League West) –

Ian Kennedy: Usually inter-division trades are uncommon, but the Dodgers and Padres showed that they are possible last offseason when Yasmani Grandal and Matt Kemp switched uniforms. Unfortunately for San Diego, their offseason makeover hasn’t worked out and they could be sellers if improvement doesn’t occur soon.

One possible trade chip is right-handed pitcher Ian Kennedy, who has struggled this season to say the least. In 84.1 innings pitched, he owns a 4.91 ERA with a worse FIP of 5.45, showing that he’s been lucky despite already bad results.

Predicted cost: Kennedy, who is a free agent this offseason, will likely be a rental should a team acquire him. He’s a solid number three starter on his best day, but with the down performance to this point, the Padres would be lucky to get a top-10 prospect in return.

Over the next three weeks, there will be many rumors surrounding the Dodgers and almost every starting pitcher that’s available. No matter what happens, it is a certainty that they will upgrade their rotation one way or another.