The Dodgers' urgency at this year's trade deadline has to be heightened following the Mookie Betts injury in Sunday's win over the Royals. Betts is out with a broken hand that won't require surgery. It's not a season-ending injury either, but he figures to be out for a significant stretch of time.
Now one of the questions about how the team should approach the deadline has been answered. They need to go after an infielder, and more specifically a shortstop.
Betts was playing well enough in that spot to give Los Angeles' front office some flexibility at the deadline. The club could use some outfield help, but they could have added an infielder and allowed Betts to retake his regular spot in right field. The other option was adding an outfielder and keeping Betts at short.
Now with Betts likely sidelined by the time the deadline rolls around on July 30, the picture is much more clear. The Dodgers need to be aggressive on the trade market. That will mean going hard after Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette assuming he's being shopped. Any other infielder should also be on the table since Gavin Lux and Cavan Biggio can both hold down the shortstop spot.
Adding a shortstop at the deadline allows Betts to return at his natural position instead of trying to rehab and then get back into the groove at a position he's been up and down at defensively all season. It also insulates the Dodgers from the curveball of Betts having any kind of setback and not being able to return this season.
They could conceivably still go get an outfielder and just play musical chairs on the infield, but finding a direct replacement for Betts seems like a much more logical step forward.
There was reason to believe they'd go make a significant splash even before this injury. Now it seems like it might be necessary if they want to stay in the mix atop the National League while Betts is watching from the bench.
