Will Smith's walk-off lifts the Dodgers over the Twins 4-3 on July 24, but the big news is the stunning trade of Gavin Lux. Read about the wild night in LA.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought a ninth-inning, two-out, walk-off winner from Will Smith was the biggest story of the night, Andrew Friedman reminded everyone that trade deadline season is in full swing. On a wild Thursday in Los Angeles, the Dodgers secured a dramatic 4-3 victory against the Minnesota Twins, only for the on-field excitement to be matched by a significant off-field move: the trade of longtime Dodger Gavin Lux to the Reds.
President Andrew Friedman acknowledged the team's recent swoon and the need to address bullpen depth.
The scene at Dodger Stadium was electric. After the bullpen coughed up a one-run lead in a shaky eighth inning, the Dodgers entered the bottom of the ninth tied 3-3. But this team still has magic. With two outs, Will Smith delivered the game-winning RBI, sending the crowd home happy and securing a 4-3 win. The victory, which went to reliever Anthony Banda (5-1), wouldn't have been possible without another strong outing from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who dazzled for 6 innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven. Shohei Ohtani also did his part, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Still, the two runs allowed by the bullpen in the eighth were a stark reminder of the team's most glaring weakness.
In a move that reverberated through the fan base, the Dodgers traded infielder Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, Los Angeles received promising outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a competitive balance draft pick. For Lux, once a top prospect ticketed for stardom, it marks the end of a challenging tenure in LA where consistent playing time was hard to find. The trade signals the front office's clear intent to leverage its assets to improve the 2025 roster, acquiring a valuable prospect and a high draft pick that could either be kept or flipped in another deal before the deadline.
If there was any doubt about the team's intentions, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman erased them. He openly acknowledged the team's recent struggles—including offensive regression from stars like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman—and confirmed the front office is aggressively targeting high-leverage right-handed relievers. The bullpen's performance against the Twins only underscored the urgency. With the addition of Hyeseong Kim being the only major move so far, expect the assets from the Lux trade to be in play as Friedman works the phones to build a championship-caliber relief corps.
While the front office looks for external help, internal reinforcements are also on the way. The biggest piece is Blake Snell, who is slated for one more rehab start before rejoining the big-league rotation. His return will be a monumental boost. However, other key contributors remain sidelined. Brusdar Graterol is targeting a September return from shoulder surgery, while Michael Kopech (knee) could be back in late August. Kiké Hernández (elbow) is in a holding pattern, and the team just placed Tanner Scott on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation, further straining the bullpen and necessitating the recall of Alexis Díaz from Triple-A.
While the Dodgers sit atop the NL West with a 61-43 record, Thursday's events prove they are far from a finished product. A thrilling walk-off win can't hide the bullpen cracks, and the front office isn't trying to. The Gavin Lux trade wasn't just about closing a chapter; it was about opening the door for the next big move. Fasten your seatbelts, Dodger fans—the week leading up to the trade deadline is shaping up to be even more dramatic than a ninth-inning rally.
