The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the deepest rosters in MLB. Yet they went on to acquire Tarik Skubal, one of the biggest prizes of the trade market. They did so without depleting their farm system. And for those who thought that the Dodgers are done adding stars, Mark Walter has an unmistakable message. Even when his business empire is under scrutiny, the owner made it clear that LA isn’t slowing down at this trade deadline. 

“We’re not stopping, we’re going to add more,” Walter was quoted by DodgersMuse in their X post. “We’re going to make it so nobody wants to play the Dodgers.”

The Dodgers traded away three of their top prospects, Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith, to the Detroit Tigers. And in return, they welcomed the 2x reigning AL Cy Young winner to the roster. Several insiders and fans repeatedly linked Tarik Skubal and the LA side for a possible trade in the last few weeks. There were other teams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and even the New York Yankees at some point. But when the Dodgers finally made the swap, the baseball world couldn’t suppress the discontent. 

Los Angeles is already atop the league, tied for the best record (69-42). They are eyeing a third straight championship. Adding an ace like Skubal to a rotation that already includes the likes of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani, among others, makes them way more powerful than any other team. Or at least that’s what most fans are arguing. 

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“Dodgers about to singlehandedly cause lockout,” New York Knicks shooting guard Josh Hart vented. 

Some of the fans even pointed out that big-market teams like the Dodgers acquiring all the star players is why the league requires a salary cap. Meanwhile, many thought that the league should have intervened to veto this trade. And they even urged commissioner Rob Manfred to step in and take immediate steps in this regard.

However, MLB or the commissioner doesn’t have such authority to cancel a trade. And the Dodgers’ latest move alone can’t trigger a lockout. That’s actually more about agreement (or disagreement) between the league and the players’ association. Also, it has to be taken into account that the Dodgers have faced major roster limits due to injuries involving key players like Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell.

So, while the baseball community continued to express their frustration, the Dodgers’ owner doubled down on remaining on the same path. But his bold declaration came at a time when Walter’s broader business empire is surrounded by federal scrutiny. 

According to reports from Bloomberg, the federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Guggenheim Partners, Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life & Annuity Co. over alleged financial improprieties.

A phone and computer aboard a private aircraft were seized under a search warrant from the FBI. For now, they haven’t charged Walter or any of his companies with any kind of criminal wrongdoing. And the organizations have mentioned that they are helping with the investigation. 

That said, whether the Dodgers will actually make another move is yet unclear. But the owner’s declaration has already set the tone for the other franchises.