The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.CHICAGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ biggest swing of the deadline came late Saturday night, when they nailed down yet another blockbuster deal. After weeks of speculation over where he’d end up, Tarik Skubal will make his Dodgers debut Tuesday at Wrigley Field.But the Dodgers could argue the final hours leading up to Monday’s trade deadline were their most hectic. When an MRI revealed an elbow strain for Dalton Rushing, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes knew they needed to shore up catching depth. That led to two trades for two backstops, another trade for a former All-Star starting pitcher and an option of Emmet Sheehan, who had spent the whole season in the majors.By the deadline, the Dodgers completed four trades, including one for their most coveted target. Let’s break down the Dodgers’ deadline and where things stand heading into the final eight weeks of the regular season.What trades did the Dodgers make?• Acquired left-hander Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for No. 26 overall prospect outfielder Zyhir Hope (Double A), No. 4o prospect right-hander River Ryan (Triple A) and right-hander Brady Smith (Class A)• Acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt (AAA) from the New York Mets for right-hander Chayce McDermott (designated for assignment July 31)• Acquired left-hander Kris Bubic from the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Carlos Duran (AAA)• Acquired catcher Hunter Feduccia and right-hander Jacob Kmatz (AA) from the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Jack Suwinski (AAA) and international bonus pool moneyHow did Dalton Rushing’s injury change their deadline plans?With Will Smith (neck) out for at least three to four more weeks, the Dodgers had preliminary conversations regarding their catching depth in the weeks leading up to the deadline. It was a need, but not major, and there weren’t many catchers on the market who fit the Dodgers’ criteria. They were not looking for someone to unseat Rushing, who took over everyday reps when Smith went on the injured list in June, and had earned the bulk of the playing time.But the Dodgers did not want to be caught unprepared should a sudden injury arise to Rushing. That’s exactly what happened Sunday afternoon, when Rushing was scratched with an arm irritation. An MRI showed a mild right elbow strain, giving the Dodgers no choice but to place Rushing on the IL, leaving them without their top two catchers for at least the next few weeks.Who won and lost the MLB trade deadline?Andy McCullough and Johnny SweetThe Dodgers briefly discussed what bringing back Rortvedt would look like earlier in July, but did not make substantial progress until Sunday evening, upon learning the severity of Rushing’s injury. Given the vast talent of the Dodgers’ pitching staff, Friedman and company prioritized finding someone familiar with the club and its pitchers. It did not take long for Friedman to land Rortvedt, which he has now done three times since last July. Bringing back Feduccia, whom the Dodgers traded at last year’s deadline (for Rortvedt), added insurance.“The biggest thing was to make sure we felt like we had coverage with both Will and Rush out,” Gomes said. “With (Feduccia) and (Rortvedt), both guys have had familiarity with our staff. It was really important to kind of come in and fit right into the clubhouse and know that our guys have thrown to them, or most of them have thrown to them in the past. So it was a really good fit.”Eliezer Alfonzo started Monday’s 10-5 loss to the Cubs, with Chuckie Robinson called up from Triple A to serve as the emergency catcher. Rortvedt and Feduccia are expected to join the team in Chicago on Tuesday. Rortvedt should get most of the starts behind the plate, as the Dodgers configure Feduccia’s workload.