Dodgers Shuffle Roster Amid Trade Deadline Woes and Struggling Lineup

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Dodgers officially announced the promotion of outfielder Justin Dean and the optioning of catcher Diego Ruiz on Friday afternoon. To make room on the 40-man roster, the team designated Luken Baker for assignment.

This week, the Dodgers faced a tough series against the St. Louis Cardinals, losing two of three games and seeing their division lead reduced to two games over the San Diego Padres. Despite a standout performance from Shohei Ohtani, who pitched brilliantly and hit a two-run homer, the Dodgers were unable to maintain momentum and struggled offensively.

Fans are questioning whether Dean’s promotion can provide the spark the team needs, especially since he has never played in the majors. His Triple-A stats are solid, but many are left wondering about the omission of Ryan Ward, a fan favorite. Ward has been impressive in the minor leagues, batting .301 with a leading 28 home runs this season. In contrast, Dean’s minor league career has spanned seven years without a major league appearance.

Dean joined the Dodgers on a minor league contract in December 2024 and attended spring training with the team. His current batting average stands at .274 with a .796 OPS. The trade of Dean could refresh the roster, but speculation around why the Dodgers haven’t promoted Ward continues to loom large among fans.

Additionally, the trade deadline created buzz around the organization. Reports indicated that the Dodgers were keen on acquiring Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan but fell short despite several attempts. General Manager Andrew Friedman faced scrutiny for not going all in for Kwan while he was available, especially with his disappointing choice in Michael Conforto, who has the lowest batting average among qualified hitters this season.

In a more surprising outcome at the deadline, the Dodgers traded Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox. May, once seen as a potential ace, has been plagued by injuries. His ERA currently sits above 4.00, and the Dodgers opted to move him amid a more stable pitching rotation as other players return from injury.

While the trade may sting for some fans, Dodger management feels confident in their current team, as they maintain first place in the division. However, the effectiveness of recent moves—including acquiring minor league prospect James Tibbs from the Red Sox—is yet to be seen.

As roster changes continue, fans and analysts alike will monitor how these adjustments impact the team’s performance in the final stretch of the season.