How the NY Mets can play a role in the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes with a trade

3) Michael Grove

After looking at two Padres pitchers, let's now move on to the Los Angeles Dodgers. One high-ceiling pitcher on the Dodgers' 40-man roster who struggled mightily in 2024 is right-hander Michael Grove. Grove would be another pitcher the Mets can slot into their bullpen right now but he has much more Major League experience than either Reynolds or Cruz.

Grove has pitched in parts of the past three seasons for the Dodgers. Last year, the right-hander tossed 51 innings across 39 total appearances. He had a horrible 5.12 ERA, but that's about where the negatives end. Grove had some very good peripherals, as he struck out a quarter of opponents he faced with an above-average 7.4% walk rate. Although he had a poor 9.3% barrel percentage, Grove held opponents to an 87.6 MPH exit velocity and 1.06 HR/9 rate.

Grove also had some solid ERA estimator numbers. He was in the 64th percentile of xERA at 3.64. That wasn't the only measurement with a predictive element that pinned him as a potential sub-4.00 ERA pitcher. His FIP was 3.87, while his xFIP clocked in at 3.77. SIERA was the most bullish on his performance at 3.38.

Grove's upper-80s slider was his primary pitch, as he used it over 50% of the time. He also utilizes a mid-90s sinker and cutter. Grove's knuckle curve was primarily used against left-handed opponents. All of his offerings, aside from his sinker, have average or better movement, according to Baseball Savant. Stuff+ put him at 106.

The Dodgers may be even more willing to make a bold trade than the Padres to land Sasaki. Grove isn't currently listed on the Dodgers' depth chart, although he is on their 40-man roster and was optioned to Triple-A at one point for about a month. Grove seems like a prime breakout candidate, and his already good arsenal could play up in shorter stints.