MLB insider floats Dodgers' golden trade chip as pitching needs mount

The Los Angeles Dodgers have glaring issues with their starting rotation. The issues are more apparent than ever after their 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday cemented a series sweep.

The Dodgers allowed 19 runs to Philadelphia in the three-game series. Los Angeles has allowed at least eight runs in six of their last 10 games, all of which were losses.

The Dodgers believed they had fixed their pitching woes after investing nearly $500 million into their rotation during the offseason. In particular, the additions of Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were expected to give the Dodgers one of the better starting rotations in Major League Baseball.

“If you had told us in spring training that we would be where we’re at with the depth of our starting pitching, I would have doubted it,” manager Dave Roberts said before Thursday's game. “But, we are.”

Dodgers could use Edgardo Henriquez to land rotation help

The Dodgers could look to the trade market to reinforce their rotation before the trade deadline on July 30. If the club decide to pull the trigger on a trade, Edgardo Henriquez could be used as a potential trade piece.

Evaluators from teams looking to sell their players are "likely to watch" Henriquez closely in the coming days, according to MLB reporter Jon Morosi.

Henriquez has already earned two promotions this season, and he's been impressive in his outings. The 22-year-old has struck out 59 batters in 33 innings. While he has shown promise to develop into a talented pitcher, the Dodgers have plenty of young players in their rotation. At this point, they need a difference-maker at the top of the rotation rather than another depth piece. Henriquez would likely be more useful to a team that's looking to build for the future.

Injuries have left the starting rotation in tatters, and the Dodgers have been forced to rely on rookies to get by. Glasnow joined Yamamoto on the injured list with lower back tightness on Tuesday. Second-year pitcher Bobby Miller was demoted to Triple A after allowing nine runs in Glasnow's absence. Rookie Landon Knack allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings on Thursday, which was the best outing by a Dodgers pitcher this week.

Glasnow, who was named an All-Star, is expected to return after the All-Star break. Still, the club's depth has been stretched thin with 12 different pitchers on the injured list. Yamamoto is at least a month away from his return, Walker Buehler is still attempting to regain form after Tommy John surgery, and Clayton Kershaw is recovering from a significant shoulder injury.