
Dodgers Blockbuster? MLB Insider Floats Shocking Waiver Candidate In LA
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the best teams in baseball, but they could get even better down the stretch. There are plenty of productive players set to return to the big league roster following injuries earlier in the season.
Because of this, the Dodgers could face a bit of a roster crunch ahead of the postseason. With that in mind, there are players they could cut, option, or place on waivers in the coming weeks.
FanSided's Robert Murray recently suggested the Dodgers could place Michael Conforto and his $17 million contract on waivers this season.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 05: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his home run with teammate Michael Conforto #23 during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium...
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 05: Teoscar Hernández #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his home run with teammate Michael Conforto #23 during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on August 05, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. More"Conforto has not worked out for the Dodgers. He signed a one-year, $17 million contract in the offseason and is hitting a career-worst .187/.299/.327 with nine home runs and 25 RBI," Murray wrote. "I can't see any team claiming him on waivers, especially at that salary. I could see Conforto being a candidate to get designated for assignment at some point, similar to what happened with Jason Heyward last season (except Conforto is on a much larger salary)."
This idea makes perfect sense for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles doesn't struggle with its payroll, but getting off the rest of Conforto's money would be a solid move for the front office, especially if they plan on adding other potential waiver wire players.
Conforto hasn't been productive for the Dodgers. At this point in time, Los Angeles could play anybody in the outfield and they'd be better than the sub-.650 OPS that the veteran is giving them.
More MLB: Carlos Mendoza Makes Bold Frankie Montas Decision For Mets' Postseason Push

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
Padres, Dylan Cease flounder in 6-0 loss, fall behind Dodgers in NL West
LOS ANGELES — Winners of another trade deadline and 14 of their past 17 games, the San Diego Padres strode into Dodger Stadium this weekend having overtaken their hosts in an unexpectedly close pennant race. The National League West will not be won this weekend or even the next, but few teams in franchise history have appeared as close in August. Advertisement That was Friday before a one-run loss in a well-pitched series opener. This was Saturday. In one of their worst performances of the year, the Padres beat themselves in a 6-0 shutout by a Los Angeles Dodgers club that went from losing five consecutive games and 21 of their past 33 to at least temporarily reclaiming first place. '(Friday) was a really good baseball game, both sides of the ball,' San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. 'And (Saturday), I mean, it just got out of hand a little early.' It did, on both sides of the ball. Former Padres left-hander Blake Snell went six innings for the first time in a Dodgers uniform, receiving multiple assists from catcher Will Smith. San Diego's three highest-paid players — Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bogaerts — singled in their first at-bats. All of them were promptly caught stealing second. LIKE WE SAID, DON'T RUN ON WILL. — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 17, 2025 Padres starter Dylan Cease, meanwhile, kept handing out free bases. In the bottom of the first, he issued four walks in an inning for the first time in his career. In the bottom of the second, he walked Shohei Ohtani and Smith, each for the second time. Then Freddie Freeman lofted a two-out fly ball to right-center, Tatis and Jackson Merrill converged on it and Merrill watched the ball glance off his glove for his first error of the season. Ohtani and Smith came around to score. 'It was just right in between (Merrill and Tatis), and I looked at him and he looked at me,' Merrill, the center fielder, said. 'You know, we've done that a million times before. I just happened to not catch it this time. I'm not even disappointed with myself. Just fluke s— happens sometimes, and you can't take it back.' It was the latest forgettable moment in a series that, so far, has been a disappointment. Advertisement The Padres entered Friday in rare territory — alone in first place this late in a season for the first time since 2010. Their one-game lead soon disappeared as 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw topped out at 90.7 mph and completed six innings of one-run ball, preserving a Dodgers bullpen that had appeared in tatters. The top four hitters in San Diego's lineup combined to go 0-for-14, suggesting that a recently lengthened offense contains lingering weaknesses. A night later, another area for concern rose to the forefront. With Opening Day starter Michael King back on the injured list, Cease continued his frustrating season. The right-hander, coming off two of his best outings, threw only 17 of 37 first-inning pitches for strikes. At one point, David Morgan began throwing in the bullpen. Morgan sat down when Cease finally escaped a three-run, one-hit frame. But the rookie reliever eventually took the mound. Cease vacated it in the fourth after his shortest outing of 2025. 'Walks kill you,' Cease said, 'and at the end of the day, I didn't really give us a chance. 'I've been inconsistent this year, unfortunately. When it's good, I'm commanding all my pitches. When it's bad, it seems like I'm not finding the zone. It's just one of those where it's disappointing, but I got to flush it and get ready for the next one.' With Cease carrying a 4.61 ERA, the Padres are approaching a September in which they might not have many starting pitchers they can trust. Yu Darvish, who will start Sunday's series finale, turned 39 on Saturday; he has recently quipped that his surgically repaired elbow feels older. King hopes he can return before the end of this month, but the fact remains that he has made only one start since late May. Nick Pivetta, easily the rotation's most reliable member, has made a total of three postseason appearances, all in 2021 with the Boston Red Sox. Advertisement It's only two games, but in the biggest series of the year, the offense has exhibited signs of concern. Tatis, the team's leadoff man, entered Saturday with a .652 on-base plus slugging percentage since the trade deadline. Luis Arráez (.548), the No. 2 hitter, and Machado (.584), the No. 3 hitter, had been even less productive. At the same time, deadline acquisition and 2025 All-Star Ryan O'Hearn has played only intermittently. Yet manager Mike Shildt has stuck with Arráez, another left-handed hitter, in the two-hole. Gavin Sheets, a key contributor before the deadline, has spent almost all of the past two weeks on the bench. 'It's more about the best matchup,' Shildt said before Saturday's game. 'There's scenarios where they could both get an at-bat during a game. There's a scenario where neither one of them get an at-bat, the way the game dictates. But I can tell you it's nice to have them both there in case we need them.' The Padres barely needed them Saturday — O'Hearn struck out looking in a pinch-hit at-bat — and that was largely their doing. The offense never found a rhythm as Cease sprayed pitches and Smith fired strikes to second base. Snell has long had a reputation as a pitcher opponents can run on; in 2023, when he won the National League Cy Young award with San Diego, baserunners went 25-for-26 on steal attempts with Snell on the mound. Two years later, on a temperate night in Chavez Ravine, the Padres went 0-for-3. 'Looking back, maybe we shouldn't have gone,' Bogaerts said. 'I got my jump (in the top of the second). I thought I was safe by a mile. But (Smith) has a good arm, man.' The Padres (69-54), who led the Dodgers (70-53) by a game going into the series, now trail their chief rivals by a game. There are 39 games left in the regular season. It feels like plenty of time. Just a few days ago, the Padres swept the San Francisco Giants on the road. Back home, a city buzzed with a palpable sense of momentum. 'I feel like it's been a long road trip, you know, playing against two division rivals,' Bogaerts said. 'We got one more game, one more game, and try to salvage the series, and just win one at least. And can't wait to get back to Petco. Advertisement 'I think it's just the way that we kind of prepare, you know, our intensity and the focus that we have in coming down the stretch in these last couple of games. I mean, I feel like you should feel that way. You should feel a little mentally drained. If you're locked in and you're competing as hard as you can, I think at the end of the night you should feel that way.' For now, the Padres still bear the burden of proof. The Dodgers, decimated by injuries and underperformance, appear as vulnerable as they have in years. And yet, the defending World Series champions remain atop their division. They have gone 7-2 against the Padres, clinching the season series and a key tiebreaker. Saturday, the Dodgers walked and gunned their way to a shutout. On the other side, the Padres were left feeling drained and perplexed. 'That was an odd game,' Shildt said. 'Listen, not happy getting thrown out. We had a plan, and they made some plays. And when you're down, it hurts a little bit more. But it's not a (normal) game when you outhit a team and lose six-nothing.' (Photo of Dylan Cease: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle


Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
DraftKings Promo Code: Claim $200 Bonus For Arsenal-Man United, MLB, NFL
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Activate the latest DraftKings promo code with a $5 bet on any English Premier League match, including Manchester United-Arsenal, or NFL preseason and MLB games today. You will be able to secure $200 in bonus bets instantly along with over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket when you click here and complete the easy registration process. We have two NFL preseason matchups as betting options for Sunday. The Bills-Bears matchup brings extra intrigue. We do not know if the Bills starters will participate, but Ben Johnson has confirmed that starters including Caleb Williams will get reps in the game. Plenty of eyes will be on that game to see how Williams and the other first-stringers for the Bears perform in a new offensive system. We also have the Jaguars-Saints game as a betting option, a matchup that will feature No. 2 pick Travis Hunter and Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. The biggest MLB game on Sunday is undoubtedly the Padres-Dodgers series finale. This game will have a big impact on the National League West race. Other games like Yankees-Cardinals, Brewers-Reds and Mariners-Mets have playoff implications as well. Sign up before Sunday's action gets started to make the most of your welcome offer and secure in-app promos. DraftKings Promo Code For EPL, NFL, MLB Sunday DraftKings Promo Code Sign Up Using Links Above – No Code Needed New User Offer Bet $5, Get $200 Instantly in Bonus Bets + Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket In-App Promos MLB Parlay Profit Boost, WNBA SGP Profit Boost, PGA Top Finish Boost, PGA Mystery Boost, etc. Terms and Conditions New Customers – 21+ in Eligible States Bonus Last Verified On Aug. 17, 2025 Information Confirmed By Newsweek All you need to do is bet $5 on any market to instantly unlock your $200 in bonus bets and the NFL Sunday Ticket discount. The outcome of your $5 bet does not matter, and you will receive your rewards before that bet settles. For example, maybe you are a big Bears fan. You can put $5 on the Bears moneyline against the Bills to instantly get your rewards. The same goes for any of the MLB games on Sunday. No matter what market you choose, just make sure your initial bet is at least $5. Redeem your NFL Sunday Ticket offer instantly and use your $200 in bonus bets within one week before they expire. Odds For Sunday NFL Preseason Matchups As noted above, we know that the Bears starters are going to get some work in the game against the Bills. For that reason, the Bears are listed as slight favorites in the matchup. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen has not said whether or not his starters will play, but most reports indicate that they will, and they are favored against the Saints. Jaguars: -3 (-108) / O40.5 (-110) / -155 Saints: +3 (-112) / U40.5 (-110) / +130 Bills: +2.5 (-105) / O41.5 (-105) / +124 Bears: -2.5 (-115) / U41.5 (-115) / -148 How To Sign Up With DraftKings Promo Code To secure this offer from DraftKings Sportsbook, click here and complete the registration process. There, you will be asked to provide basic personal information, like your name, date of birth, mailing address, email, etc. There is no need to enter a code, as you will automatically receive the offer by clicking on one of our links. Then, make an initial deposit with a secure payment method, like a credit card, debit card, PayPal account or many other options. This deposit should cover your initial $5 bet to unlock your $200 in bonus bets and the NFL Sunday Ticket discount. Use your $200 in bonus bets within one week before they expire from your account. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.

2 hours ago
Rays rally late to beat Giants 2-1, spoil Verlander's strong start
SAN FRANCISCO -- Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe hit consecutive two-out RBI singles in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied for the second straight day to beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Saturday night. The Rays' offense had been on mute much of the day against three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, but broke out when Verlander left after seven scoreless innings. After No. 9 hitter Nick Fortes was hit by a pitch with two outs, Chandler Simpson singled before Díaz singled in Tampa Bay's first run off José Buttó (3-3). Lowe followed with his second hit of the game to drive in a run and hand the Giants their seventh consecutive loss. Edwin Uceta (9-2) retired four batters. Pete Fairbanks pitched the ninth for his 22nd save. Tampa Bay's win spoiled a solid start by the 42-year-old Verlander, who allowed two hits and had eight strikeouts, moving him within four of tying Walter Johnson (3,515) for ninth place on the career list. The Giants scored in the sixth when Willy Adames singled, stole second and came home when Christian Koss hit a single past diving third baseman Junior Caminero. Rays starter Adrian Houser matched his season-high of six strikeouts and allowed four hits over five scoreless innings making his third start since being acquired from the Chicago White Sox. Rays manager Kevin Cash was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing a strike call. With two on and two out in the sixth, Rays right fielder Jake Mangum chased down Jung Hoo Lee's deep drive and made a sliding catch on the warning track. Verlander needed 17 pitches to retire the side in the sixth and seventh. ___