Dodgers ruin baseball with sixth straight loss, get swept for second consecutive series by Chicago Cubs

Bret Boone says he's jealous of current MLB players access to film and analytics.

Discussion on baseball-related social media over the last week has focused on one topic, and one topic only: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers, back-to-back World Series champions, entered the weekend leading up to the Major League Baseball trade deadline with several major question marks, despite their massive payroll. Starter Blake Snell remained injured, with just three innings pitched in 2026 after only 61 innings in 2025. Tyler Glasnow was also sidelined with a back injury after throwing only 39.2 innings earlier in the season. Emmett Sheehan, after a breakout 2025, had struggled mightily in recent starts, and the injuries had forced LA to turn to journeyman Eric Lauer.

So they did what any team trying to win a World Series should do, and made their roster better. Instead of hoping for the best, LA's front office traded Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith to the Tigers for defending AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. This set off a firestorm of anger, outrage, hatred, and conspiracy theories, as well as wailing and gnashing of teeth from commentators and fans who demanded that owners lock players out to pocket more money, or acted as though this marked the end of baseball.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS TRADE FOR TARIK SKUBAL HIGHLIGHTS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S MASSIVE PROBLEM

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal sits on the bench during the eighth inning of an MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Why? Because the Dodgers were now simply too good to be beaten. No team could compete with their combination of talent and depth.