Dodgers trade idea sends them $21 million veteran amid pitching injuries

The old saying is that you can never have enough starting pitching, and nowhere has that rung truer than with the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Originally believed to have one of the deepest starting rotations in Major League Baseball history, the Dodgers have already been forced to give a combined six starts to the likes of Landon Knack, Ben Casparius, Bobby Miller, Jack Dreyer and Justin Wrobleski. Flamethrower Tyler Glasnow has already landed on the injured list again, this time with a shoulder injury, while new acquisition Blake Snell doesn’t appear close to a return from his own shoulder injury. 

Thanks to an explosive lineup, an untouchable bullpen, and the dominance of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers have been able to withstand the injuries and currently lead the National League West with a 20-10. They also presumably have help on the way in the form of Clayton Kershaw, who has already begun a rehab assignment, and Shohei Ohtani, who is targeted a second-half return. Despite Kershaw’s and Ohtani’s pedigree, however, they are far from a sure thing. Kershaw has made just seven starts since 2023 and is struggling to hit 90 miles per hour, while Ohtani has not taken the mound since September of 2023. 

Throw in the inconsistencies of rookie Roki Sasaki, the injury history of Dustin May and the uncertainty surrounding Snell and Glasnow and it’s clear the Dodgers could use a little more stability in the rotation. Newsweek’s Zach Pressnell believes they can find such a solution in Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez. 

“Martinez is on a one-year deal worth $21 million. He's a very consistent righty with solid command and a fiery attitude,” Pressnell wrote. “Martinez would hand manager Dave Roberts a pitcher who will consistently give the Dodgers a chance to win.”

Unlike many pitchers on the Dodgers staff, Martinez doesn’t possess elite stuff, but he makes up for his lack of swing-and-miss with consistency and command. He has posted a 3.30 ERA while bouncing between the rotation and bullpen over the last three years and has posted an acceptable 4.09 FIP through his first six starts in 2025. An extreme fly-ball pitcher, Martinez would benefit greatly from pitching in spacious Dodger Stadium rather than the bandbox of Great American Ball Park, and could add value as a long reliever once the Dodgers rotation returns to health. 

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