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It seems like, for much of the 2026 season, the question in the National League — and Major League Baseball as a whole, really — has been: Who are the biggest threats to the Los Angeles Dodgers?
The teams in that category as we come out of the All-Star break and enter the second half of the season: the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.
Atlanta and Milwaukee lead their respective divisions, while Chicago and Philadelphia hold the first and second wild-card spots, respectively. The Dodgers are cruising to another NL West title, with a 12-game edge over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks, meaning they will likely make their 14th consecutive postseason appearance in 2026, tying Atlanta’s record of 14 straight playoffs from 1991 to 2005.
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As the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline approaches, that question about the biggest threats becomes more about their strategies around the deadline. What are the other NL powerhouses planning to do to put themselves in a better position to dethrone the reigning champions come October?
Let’s break down each contender’s biggest potential needs and what it means for their chances of taking down the Dodgers.
Philadelphia Phillies
Potential Needs: Starting pitching, bullpen help, right-handed outfielder (maybe)
The Phillies desire rotation help in order to get to the playoffs, not necessarily out of a need for another pitcher to start a postseason game — although, an additional October arm would be just fine with them. The Phillies are top heavy with Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo, a trio as good as any team can put on the mound in the postseason.
But after that, it thins out, as Aaron Nola’s 5.82 ERA tells his 2026 story. As for a fifth starter, Andrew Painter and Alan Rangel couldn’t hold on to the job so the search is on.
Philadelphia can likely take on some salary in the form of players on expiring deals, such as Robbie Ray or Kevin Gausman. Either of those pitchers can be a No. 4, which makes them extremely enticing. And, of course, they could also start playoff games. Having four quality rotation arms can only help the Phillies’ cause against L.A., and more importantly, it helps their likelihood of winning four rounds. At the moment, it doesn’t look like the NL East winner is going to get a bye, which means there’s a need to load up on pitchers as much as possible.
In the bullpen, Brad Keller’s injury opens the door for a need, while the team’s offense against left-handed pitching might put the Phillies in the market for a right-handed bat. The good news is they’ve performed better this month against lefties, ranking middle of the pack in OPS. But for the season, they rank 28th, giving president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski reason to believe he’ll need to improve in that area.
Chicago Cubs
Potential Needs: Top-end starter, bullpen help
Injuries have taken a toll on Chicago, but the walking wounded have begun to return. That doesn’t mean the Cubs have enough six- to seven-inning, playoff-caliber starters in the rotation, so piecing together enough pitching for four rounds of the postseason — including a series against the Dodgers — will be extremely hard for them as constituted. With just a 7% chance of getting a bye in the first round, according to FanGraphs, a really good 2026 Cubs team needs more.
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The positive news is that Matthew Boyd is currently pitching like a No. 1 starter. Shota Imanaga is doing the same as a No. 2. But they faltered some last October, and who follows the pair to start a Game 3 playoff contest this year is anyone’s guess. Chicago can piece it together down the stretch if need be, getting 12 to 15 outs per game, by way of Jameson Taillon, Edward Cabrera and perhaps Ben Brown or even Justin Steele. The latter three are still out because of injuries, while Taillon just returned with mixed results.
The Cubs also have some expiring contracts on the mound, so trading for a controllable pitcher works for their future as well as their present. Los Angeles Angels starter Reid Detmers would fit that need. As usual, prices are currently high for those pitchers, according to league sources, but Chicago has some infield depth at the major and minor league level to trade from. That surplus is their strength, so don’t expect the Cubs to offload much, if any, from their major league team. They want what most teams want — a chance to take down the Dodgers this season and stay competitive for years to come.
Chicago’s bullpen is more banged up than its rotation. But, similar to those returning starters, the team is expecting lefty Hoby Milner (appendicitis) and closer Daniel Palencia (elbow) back in August. Palencia, in particular, is no sure thing in terms of health, so another reliever or two should be on the docket for the Cubs as well. The good news is that their position player group is one of the best in the league and can compete with the Dodgers in the field and at the plate. No need for improvements there.
Atlanta Braves
Potential Needs: Playoff-caliber starter, hitting depth, bullpen help
Atlanta could take several routes to improve itself for the postseason, starting with a playoff-caliber rotation arm to pair with Chris Sale. The team can get to the postseason as is, but going head-to-head with the Dodgers might require an October upgrade in the rotation. If Tarik Skubal is made available by the Detroit Tigers, the Braves should be interested, though there is no signal just yet they would go all-in for him. They have plenty of in-house options for a later-series playoff outing — such as Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes or Reynaldo Lopez — but between getting past the Dodgers and winning four rounds of the postseason, they need another standout.
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The return of Ronald Acuña Jr. this week could help inform general manager Alex Anthopoulos about his needs in the lineup, but he’ll probably operate on the same track no matter what the offense looks like before Aug. 3. The Braves can improve at shortstop and might want some more depth in the outfield/designated hitter, though Acuña’s return makes them eminently stronger in that area. The injury to Robert Suarez opened the door for a bullpen need as well.
The bottom line for Atlanta is it wants to improve in any area that presents itself. A good example of that came in 2022 when the Braves acquired closer Raisel Iglesias at the deadline, even though they already employed Kenly Jansen, who was having a good year. To beat the Dodgers, improving any part of the team is a goal for Atlanta.
Milwaukee Brewers
Potential needs: Playoff-caliber starter, left-handed reliever, a bat
It might be time for Milwaukee to use the No. 1-ranked farm system in baseball, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, in order to better its chances against the Dodgers, who swept the Brewers in the NLCS last year. There’s plenty of talent to trade from, including top-ranked prospect Jesus Made. They have been reluctant to move their bigger prospect names at the deadline in recent years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it applies to this season — though, many believe Made is off-limits again.
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Earning a bye like they did last year would be huge for the Brewers. Setting up their rotation with Jacob Misiorowski at the top is extra important for them, as they’re being careful with several of their pitchers’ innings. It’s also why trading for a standout pitcher to pair with Misiorowski would go a long way to giving them a chance to beat the Dodgers. The return of lefty Kyle Harrison from a forearm injury will help, but will he be as effective?
With the exception of Freddy Peralta, most of the good pitching rentals — like Skubal, Gausman and Ray — come with a hefty price tag for the final two months. The better the prospect return a team can offer, the better the chance the trading team sends cash with a pitcher. Of course, a reunion with Peralta is always a possibility, as well, for Milwaukee.
Picking up a starter could push a lefty like Shane Drohan to the bullpen, strengthening two areas of the team. As much as it seems possible with the way he has been used under manager Pat Murphy, lefty Aaron Ashby can’t pitch every game. And usually, a team with aspirations of beating the Dodgers might not want to rank last in home runs, though it seems doubtful the trade deadline will make a major impact in that category. The injury to outfielder Sal Frelick might underscore the need for additional depth in that area — if it comes with power, all the better.
