Crumbling Dodgers Might Regret Reluctance to Fix $685M Roster Hole at 2025 Trade Deadline

When you spend $685 million, you expect more than moral victories and bullpen roulette, right? Yet, here are the Dodgers — with Mookie Betts scuffling, Shohei Ohtani sidelined from pitching, and Tyler Glasnow held together with hope and tape. Instead of reinforcing a fractured roster, Los Angeles went bargain hunting at the deadline. Championship windows don’t stay open forever, and the Dodgers just might be letting a gold-plated one slam shut.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were supposed to be the team to beat this season, and guess what? They have looked the most beatable team, at least in recent weeks. The Dodgers haven’t been this bad in a very long time, and it does not look like this rough patch will end anytime soon. At least by the way their deadline went, surely not.

In a recent article on The Athletic, the same was said — that this trade deadline was underwhelming for the Dodgers. They said, “I’m not so sure the Dodgers are a team that has everything right now… Before the season, sure, but since then, plenty has come to light… Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow haven’t helped. Mookie Betts looks lost for the first time in his career. The Dodgers are still second in the NL in runs scored and winning percentage,” but even after all these things, if there is one team that can do something magical, it is the Dodgers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a rare convergence of problems on both offense and the mound. Their strikeout rate has spiked to 25.2% in the last 27 games, the worst in MLB. Walks have dipped, and their OPS has plummeted to .669—fourth-worst in baseball during that stretch. Pitchers have started baiting them with junk outside the zone, and the Dodgers keep chasing.

On the mound, injuries have thinned the rotation and forced desperate deadline decisions that lacked real impact. Dustin May was shipped to Boston, and in return came two Double-A outfielders—not immediate help. The bullpen added Brock Stewart and Paul Gervase, but those aren’t needle-moving names. The Dodgers did little to address the growing urgency surrounding both their pitching staff and lineup.

Even superstar Mookie Betts has struggled, now slashing a career-worst .231/.302/.355 amid personal heartbreak. His stepfather’s passing pulled him briefly from the lineup, compounding an already difficult season. But signs of life emerged with a 2-for-4, three-run performance against the Reds on Monday. If Betts and others can reset, their lineup might still roar back to life.

Despite the slump, the Dodgers remain first in the NL West and dangerously poised for a resurgence. Blake Snell has returned, and role players like Alex Call could quietly shine. Their depth, star power, and October pedigree still make them a team no contender should overlook. Write off the Dodgers now, and you might regret it come playoff time.

The Dodgers were built like juggernauts, but lately, they’ve looked more like a cautionary tale. Their flaws are loud, their fixes were quiet, and the timing couldn’t be worse. But here’s the hook: Chaos doesn’t scare the Dodgers—it usually fuels their October mythos. So go ahead, laugh at the slump and question their moves. Just don’t act surprised when they’re the ones ending someone else’s season.

Forget the trades — Dodgers must solve these issues to survive until October.

There’s only so much duct tape you can slap on a Ferrari before the wheels start wobbling. The Dodgers, armed with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, cruised past the deadline with a shrug, as if October success can be summoned by vibes alone. While rivals loaded up, Andrew Friedman opted for patience. Now, Dave Roberts is left managing questions no trade could answer — and no contender should ignore.

The Dodgers are winning games but losing grip on stability, with cracks showing beneath the surface. Their rotation, once projected to boast Yamamoto, Glasnow, Snell, and possibly Ohtani, hinges on bandaged arms. The bullpen is worn thin, relying on hopeful returns from Graterol, Treinen, and Kopech. With no frontline starter added at the deadline, staying healthy isn’t just a wish — it’s the only viable postseason insurance plan.

Ohtani’s two-way experiment remains thrilling but uncertain, teetering between brilliance and burnout down the stretch. His pitching has been electric, yet his bat cooled as he resumed mound duties. The Dodgers must continue easing him into a hybrid role, maximizing value without emptying the tank. Meanwhile, the offensive core depends heavily on Betts and Freeman rediscovering form, as their recent slumps have shrunk the team’s offensive margin for error.

Beyond the headliners, the supporting cast offers both solutions and stress tests for this title-contending roster. Will Smith must stave off his typical late-season drop-off to anchor the lineup. Pages and Kim offer upside, but inconsistency and inexperience remain glaring. If Muncy returns healthy and Teoscar Hernandez regains rhythm, the Dodgers’ depth improves — but neither is guaranteed. With October looming, answers must come from within, not from trades that never arrived.

The Dodgers didn’t just bet on talent — they bet on time, health, and internal fixes. It’s a bold strategy, one that turns the second half into a high-wire act with no net. October isn’t won on name recognition, nor preseason projections — it’s won on performance under pressure. And if the Dodgers don’t tighten their loose bolts soon, even Ferrari engines might stall before reaching the postseason freeway.