The Los Angeles Dodgers have an abundance of talented starting pitchers to choose for their starting rotation, which is why the Chicago White Sox should strike while the irons hot and trade for one of them.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off one of the most dominant World Series performances in recent memory for baseball fans. In 2025 they will look to become the first team to repeat back-to-back World Series wins since the New York Yankees conquered that feat, but added a third title to win three straight from 1998-2000. The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly have the roster to do so with signing two-time Cy Young award winner in both leagues Blake Snell to five-year $182 million contract on November 30th of this year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Could Use another Bat in their Lineup
Adding Luis Robert Jr. to an already stacked lineup would be perfect for the Los Angeles Dodgers to do. The Dodgers just recently resigned World Series Champion Teoscar Hernández to a three-year $66 million deal as well as signed veteran outfielder Michael Conforto to a one-year $17 million deal. The Dodgers also issued an extension of five-years $74 million to super utility man Tommy Edman who as it stands will be manning centerfield for the Dodgers in 2025. If the Los Angeles Dodgers were to add Luis Robert Jr. to take over the centerfield duties, that would allow the Dodgers to move Edman back to the infield where he’s an overall better defender.
Luis Robert Jr. had a down year in 2024 to say the least from an offensive standpoint. Robert missed sometime early on in the season due to a hip flexor injury, but still managed to play in 100 games. In those 100 games Robert Jr. had 88 hits, 19 doubles, 14 HRs, 35 RBI, 23 stolen bases, with a slash line of .224/.278/.379 for an OPS and OPS+ of .657 and 87.
Luis Robert Jr. still has the ability to be great and be the type of player that finished 12th in the MVP voting for 2023 as well as winning a Silver Slugger and being named an All-Star. If brought into a winning situation and if Robert Jr. is surrounded by proven leaders like Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts who can light a fire under him, that player could reemerge.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Have an Abundance of Starting Pitching
With the signing of Blake Snell, the Los Angeles Dodgers now seemingly have an abundance of starting pitching on their roster. Last year the Dodgers were hampered with injuries in particular to their starting rotation. Shohei Ohtani missed all last year (pitching) after recovering from having Tommy John surgery.
Dustin May missed all of last season after also recovering from Tommy John surgery and was supposed to make a return in the second half of 2024 but suffered a freak esophageal tear and needed surgery to repair it which nixed any return. Tony Gonsolin also missed all of last season with, yes you guessed it Tommy John surgery, but all three are expected to return in 2025 and be a part of the starting rotation.
According to FanGraphs they project the Los Angeles Dodgers to incorporate a six-man rotation for the 2025 season given most of their starting pitchers are working their way back from Tommy John surgery or another form of injury. FanGraphs has the Dodgers rotation to be 1. Blake Snell 2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto 3. Tyler Glasnow 4. Tony Gonsolin 5. Dustin May 6. Shohei Ohtani. Being that the Los Angeles Dodgers are so deep in with their starting pitching depth, I think that clears an opening for the Chicago White Sox to swoop in and trade for Bobby Miller who currently doesn’t have a spot on the Major League roster.
Bobby Miller
Bobby Miller is a very exciting young starting pitcher who if he can figure it out has the potential to be a top of the rotation type arm or even an “Ace” of a staff. Bobby Miller came into 2024 vying for a spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation with the Dodgers already having injuries to their players starting the year.
As the season went on more and more injuries plagued the Dodgers starting rotation which upped Bobby Millers chances to get some looks. Sadly, in the opportunities Miller was given he just didn’t show he could step up to the challenge which led to the Los Angeles Dodgers demoting him to the minor leagues after he allowed nine runs on ten hits in four innings pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Overall, in 13 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 Bobby Miller went 2-4 with an 8.52 ERA, 52 strikeouts, 1.768 WHIP, in 56 innings. Down on the farm Miller didn’t fare any better, at Triple-A Oklahoma in 26.2 innings Miller went 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts. I think it is safe to say that it wasn’t Bobby Millers year in 2024.
Why doing a Straight-up Swap of Bobby Miller and Luis Robert Jr. Works
Chicago White Sox receive: right-handed starting pitcher Bobby Miller
Los Angeles Dodgers receive outfielder Luis Robert Jr.
Given that both Bobby Miller and Luis Robert Jr. had down years in 2024 I think a straight-up one-for-one swap gets the deal done here. Both players are looking to have bounce back years and given the Los Angeles Dodgers have as I said an abundance of starting pitching and other young guys like Landon Knack and Emmet Sheehan being higher than Miller on the depth chart, trading Miller makes sense given he’s the odd man out.
For the White Sox part, they would be trading away Luis Robert Jr. who is owed $15 million as well as his two $20 million club options (totaling $40 million) he has for both 2026 and 2027 that Dodgers would have to decide what to do with it if they acquired Robert Jr., I think a change of scenery is in order for both players in order to bring out both of their maximum potentials.
For the White Sox to add Bobby Miller would give them someone who has the ability to be the Ace of their staff. Giving him a fresh start coming to a team where he knows that he will consistently pitch every fifth day, be given the reigns to potentially capture the mantle of “Ace” of the pitching staff, and not have the pressure of playing for a winner which I think right now he needs in order to build confidence.
Being just 25 years old and only having two years in the Major Leagues under his belt, there’s still a lot of untapped potential to be brought out of Bobby Miller. Also pairing Bobby Miller with future homegrown talent in prospects such as Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith who both can be stars and top of the line starters, would be perfect for Chris Getz to do to build around the starting rotation.
The ability for him to replicate his 3.76 ERA in 22 starts (124.1 innings) which he had in 2023 is still there, as well as the potential to be a top five Cy Young award finisher when he figures it all out. Making this trade happen would be a great benefit to both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.
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