Dodgers trade rumors: Could Tigers ace Matthew Boyd fill No. 5 starter role?

Trading for Matthew Boyd could solve the Los Angeles Dodgers’ ongoing No. 5 starter issues.

The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers may need to trade for someone like Matthew Boyd of the Detroit Tigers to re-solidify the back-end of their starting rotation.

With Dustin May out for the year with a torn UCL and Tony Gonsolin dealing with a shoulder injury all year, the Dodgers are in need of a fifth starter in the rotation after Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com believes the Tigers could be shopping Matthew Boyd at the deadline. He could slot right in perfectly for the Dodgers at No. 5.

Why should the Dodgers look externally to solve their back-end of the rotation issues?

Matthew Boyd could be a good fifth starter option for the Los Angeles Dodgers

While Feinsand feels that Gonsolin could emerge as an internal candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Dodgers are in a tight divisional race with the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres in the NL West. Keep in mind that only five teams qualify for the postseason in the National League this year. The Dodgers find themselves in third place currently at 26-18.

Conversely, the Tigers are among the worst teams in the American League again. They are not a playoff team and would probably command a top 100 prospect in return in a deal for Boyd. In his first eight starts of the season, Boyd is 2-4 with 2.45 ERA and an 0.965 WHIP in 47.2 innings pitched. The Dodgers may not go in this direction, but Boyd would fit the bill of a No. 5 starter.

The Dodgers will need to refine their roster here soon if they want to repeat as world champions.