Could Los Angeles add to their already stacked roster?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a fantastic start in the 2024 season behind the strength of their fearsome lineup. Any team in baseball would love to have the production power that Los Angeles has but, despite this, Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes that the team could still land a couple of big-name players – Nolan Arenado and Justin Verlander:

“Nolan Arenado: No one hates losing more, and the Cardinals are more than a year into their disastrous run, so he just might approve a trade. The Dodgers don’t really need him but that’s one team he might jump at.

Justin Verlander:He will have to pitch better than he did Tuesday night against the Yankees. Has full no trade, but the guess is he might accept L.A. or (close to hometown) Baltimore.”

With the Astros off to a terrible start, Verlander’s name has popped up in trade rumors recently. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale poured cold water on that idea however:

‘It’s time to stop the speculation that the Houston Astros would trade Cy Young winner Justin Verlander at the trade deadline if they are out of the race. Verlander has a complete no-trade clause and loves playing in Houston. He already utilized his no-trade clause to steer the Mets into trading him last summer to Houston instead of elsewhere. The Mets were in deep trade discussions last summer involving Verlander with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, but Verlander informed the Mets that he wouldn’t approve a trade unless it was Houston.’

However valuable he may still be, Nolan Arenado does not fit the Cardinals’ current trajectory. St. Louis discussed an Arenado deal with the Dodgers last season before management decided to walk away from negotiations.

Dodgers off to fast start in 2024

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) celebrates with shortstop Mookie Betts (50) after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium© Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
The Dodgers are rolling. After suffering a rough stretch, which included a three-game losing streak in the middle of April, the Dodgers have since won 14 of their last 16 games to sit at 26-13 on the season.

It’s not just the Dodgers’ offensive stars Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani doing damage, either.

The MLB leader in starts (8), Tyler Glasnow is now 6-1 on the year, which ties his 2019 campaign for the second-most of his career. Additionally, Glasnow is the MLB leader in innings pitched (50.0), strikeouts (63), and batters faced (195).

As a result of their strong play recently, the Dodgers have built a 6.5-game lead on the San Diego Padres, who sit in second place in the NL West. Not that they need the help, but if Los Angeles is able to add either Verlander or Arenado to the roster, they’ll be even stronger favorites to take home another World Series championship.