The Los Angeles Dodgers managed to win the World Series last year despite heading into the postseason with a short-handed starting rotation. The strength of their bullpen was a major factor in helping them cope with the challenges of October baseball.
Therefore, it was not really a surprise to see the Dodgers bolster the depth of their pitching staff in the offseason. Despite their best efforts, the team has not found a remedy to the problem yet.
Dodgers Linked to Pirates Lefty For Starting Rotation Reinforcements
At present, the Dodgers have more than a dozen arms on the IL, including some of their best starting pitchers. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, two of their top additions over the past couple of years, have only delivered seven starts between them this season.
Both are sidelined indefinitely at the moment. On the other hand, Emmet Sheenan has yet to return for the team, while Gavin Stone and River Ryan are unlikely to play any part this year. Therefore, the Dodgers clearly need to add rotation depth at the deadline.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports has identified Andrew Heaney as a possible candidate for a move to the World Series champions. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ southpaw is enjoying one of his best seasons despite playing for one of the worst teams in the MLB this year.
The Dodgers were linked to a breakout starting pitcher (and former Dodger) in a potential trade deadline more to boost the rotation👀⬇️
Would you want to see LA make this move? Why or why not?https://t.co/CSh25Q9iIs
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 6, 2025
“Heaney’s season is a Rorschach test for how one evaluates pitchers,” Anderson wrote last week. “On the one hand, he’s done a good job of keeping runs off the board with his west-east approach. On the other hand, his strikeout rate has cratered by two batters per nine innings compared to last season.”
“Teams are more likely to concern themselves with the second part of that matter, which is notable given they already viewed him with skepticism (he had to settle this offseason for a one-year pact worth just over $5 million). Even so, there’s only so much starting pitching to go around. Heaney is a tolerable back-end option, particularly in the right environment.”
The Pirates had signed Heaney from the free-agent market in the offseason on a one-year, $5.25 million deal. He has posted 66.1 innings from his 12 starts so far, having a 3-4 record with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.192 WHIP.
Heaney had spent a successful 2022 season with the Dodgers to basically revive his career in the major leagues. He had previously gone through a few rough years with the Los Angeles Angels and the New York Yankees.
The 34-year-old left-hander was then picked up by the Texas Rangers on a two-year deal, and he went on to win the World Series in his first season with the team. He made five starts for the Rangers in the postseason and had a 1-0 record with a 4.09 ERA.