NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers settled for a split in Sunday’s doubleheader, but still sparked their start to the second half with a convincing series win at the New York Yankees thanks to a complete game from Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 1.

Sunday also brought unfavorable news regarding Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith. Ohtani will be out of the rotation indefinitely as the Dodgers continue to monitor left knee irritation that has pestered their two-way star since mid-June. Smith, who has been sidelined since early June with an inflamed disc in his neck, was shut down from all baseball activity over the All-Star break. The earliest he could return, per manager Dave Roberts, is mid-August.

Still, according to multiple team sources familiar with the Dodgers’ thinking, neither injury will have much impact on the team’s trade deadline strategy. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not permitted to discuss the subject publicly.

Despite Smith’s prolonged absence, the Dodgers do not plan to pursue major-league catching depth and will continue to rely on Dalton Rushing for the bulk of the starts. Ohtani’s uncertainty hasn’t provided extra incentive to push for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who will be the top player available this deadline — should the Tigers (who sit just 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot in the meek American League) decide to make him available.

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Things remain status quo for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers. Similar to last year’s deadline, they’ll look to improve on the margins but refrain from big splashes that could harm the club’s depth and projected future. Bulking up their minor-league system, perhaps by trading away some of their outfield prospects, remains a priority. But the team’s most impactful acquisitions might come internally.

Blake Snell, Edwin Díaz and Kiké Hernández have all started rehab assignments. There is a chance Díaz (elbow surgery) can return on the team’s current trip. If not, he’s likely to be back around the same time as Hernández (oblique strain), who will be activated off the IL on July 28, assuming his rehab stint goes as planned.

Snell (elbow surgery) made his first rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he recorded four outs on 32 pitches. His next start will come Friday, with a target of three innings. Once Snell is stretched out to five innings or 75 pitches, the Dodgers will activate him off the IL and insert him back into the starting rotation. Provided he does not experience any setbacks, that puts his targeted return right around the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

That lines up perfectly with the Dodgers’ internal thinking. Outside of Skubal, there are few arms that can rival the impact that Snell’s return is expected to have. That should buy more time for Tyler Glasnow as he recovers from persistent back spasms that have cost him nearly three months of the season. Glasnow threw his second fastball-only bullpen last week at Dodger Stadium and is progressing toward facing live hitters. He remains at least a couple of weeks away from starting a rehab assignment.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto finishes off his first career regular season complete game with a painted strikeout 😮‍💨 https://t.co/anFkoA4Shc pic.twitter.com/sGrmZBMSJw

— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2026

There does not appear to be much broad concern regarding Ohtani’s absence, however long it persists. Part of that is due to the first-place Dodgers’ 11 1/2-game cushion atop the National League West — the largest division lead in baseball. The team will also continue with the six-man rotation it has relied on all season, using a combination of scheduled off days and bullpen days to get by until either Ohtani or Snell is healthy. Until Ohtani is cleared to pitch, he’ll continue to serve as the designated hitter. The Dodgers believe he’ll pitch again this season. In between games Sunday, Ohtani was throwing off flat ground in left field while pitching coach Mark Prior and head athletic trainer Thomas Albert looked on.

The Dodgers, per multiple team sources, are comfortable patching their rotation over the next few weeks. But given how much time Snell and Glasnow have already missed, it would be fair to question both starters’ health. The Dodgers, however, feel they have enough depth, even with River Ryan still on the IL in the minors with a hamstring injury. Depending on how Snell and Glasnow progress through the end of July, trading Eric Lauer — especially with several teams looking to fortify their rotations — remains a possibility.

Friedman has no problem splurging on players. But when it comes to the Dodgers’ vaunted minor-league system, he is much more risk-averse. He detests overpaying at the deadline, especially at the cost of prospects. Skubal would be a two-month rental, though the Dodgers would be trading for his impact in October, not the regular season.

It’s important to note an obvious caveat: With so many American League teams bunched close together in the wild-card standings, franchises might not decide whether to be deadline sellers or buyers until the final days leading up to Aug. 3. The group of available players likely won’t be clearly defined until then.

The Dodgers are always prepared to pounce should circumstances shake out in their favor. While their connections to Skubal so far have been speculative, Friedman and the baseball operations staff shouldn’t be ruled out of making a move. They did not think they’d be able to sign both Díaz and Kyle Tucker last winter, for example, but when the market shifted, they were in position to capitalize on it.

That alone remains an enticing enough reason to keep tabs on Skubal’s market. The Dodgers don’t plan on going all in to land him, but they’ll be around if the right opportunity arises. For now, though, it’s business as usual for the reigning champs as they wait out the market.