Snell, Glasnow among reinforcements on horizon for LA as Deadline nears

This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen’s Dodgers Beat newsletter with MLB.com's Courtney Hollmon writing this edition. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

LOS ANGELES -- Despite L.A.'s place atop the standings, the conversation surrounding the Dodgers’ rotation two weeks ago centered around survival. With three of the team's four aces sidelined or limited, Los Angeles was navigating a thin tightrope, leaning heavily on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and young arms while keeping a watchful eye on the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.

Fast forward to this week, and the picture at Dodger Stadium is shifting from survival to imminent reinforcement.

With four days remaining before the Deadline, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made it clear that the Dodgers' primary focus is bringing their star power back from the athletic training room rather than overpaying in a volatile trade market.

"For each of them, the injury part of it is behind us, and now it's about how to build up and get them back," Friedman said pregame Wednesday. "We talk about this a lot with guys coming back from injury. It’s, 'Get them back to stay back,' not 'Get them back as quickly as we can.' But as far as them coming back, we feel really good about it."

Friedman noted that the organization's offseason roster construction was intentionally designed to avoid an acute need in July -- a position that allows L.A. to be selective while relying on internal returns.

"Feel really good about the talent base we have in place, not just on field, but also how the group meshes together," Friedman emphasized. "So like always, we're going to be thoughtful and careful about what we potentially add to that dynamic."

That wave of internal reinforcements starts with Blake Snell.

Snell, recovering from May elbow surgery to remove loose bodies, completed his third rehab start with Single-A Ontario on Wednesday, striking out nine over four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and zero walks.

While a grueling schedule without an off-day until Aug. 6 creates a strong need for rotation depth -- allowing L.A. to try and maintain its six-man rotation plan -- Friedman stressed that Snell’s activation date won't be rushed simply to fill a schedule gap. The decision will be made strictly on what is best for his long-term buildup.

“That's something we're continuing to talk about,” Friedman said. “I think we need to do what we feel like makes the most sense for Blake, because again, it's about getting guys back to stay back. So we'll assess this outing, figure out where we're at, and figure out where to go from that. But don't want to place our needs above doing what we think is right to build a guy back.”

Meanwhile, Tyler Glasnow took a major step forward on Wednesday, throwing a two-inning live batting practice session at Dodger Stadium as he works back from lower back spasms. Manager Dave Roberts expects a Minor League rehab assignment to be the likely next step for Glasnow, who reported zero symptoms after adjusting his mechanics down the mound.

Even as Snell and Glasnow inch closer, the current rotation remains on firm footing. With Ohtani limited to hitting for the time being, the Dodgers' thin 40-man pitching depth means Los Angeles is fully committed to giving its current starters the runway they need to work through normal midseason hiccups.

That supportive reality applies to left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who has been one of L.A.'s brightest revelations this season. The Dodgers are actively monitoring his workload (currently at 112 2/3 innings) as he nears his previous high as a pro (118 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the Majors last season). Even after a tough outing in Tuesday's series opener against Seattle, his ability to grind through saved the bullpen from early entry.

"I still threw the ball pretty well," Wrobleski said postgame Tuesday. "At the end of the day, one of the things in my control is adjusting to what is happening within the game ... you're going to take away the positives and move forward."

Beyond the rotation, the roster is receiving additional boosts. Star closer Edwin Díaz was officially activated from the injured list on Wednesday -- coinciding with his bobblehead night -- while versatility anchor Kiké Hernández was activated Tuesday.

Position player depth is also making strides, with Friedman confirming catcher Will Smith has stacked good day on good day in his recovery from a neck issue after consulting with specialists.