The Los Angeles Dodgers won the MLB Trade Deadline

Every year, the Los Angeles Dodgers make some sort of deal at the MLB Trade Deadline. This year, LA is the clearcut winner of July 31.

The Los Angeles Dodgers added three players this trade deadline, similar to the three additions the team made last year. Last year, those additions were Yu Darvish, Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani.

And while that was an exciting day and for some reason that feels like yesterday, the Dodgers front office completely outdid themselves this time around.

First of all, the team ripped the band-aid completely off by acquiring the most coveted trade piece on the market, Manny Machado, during the All-Star Break. Even better, the team did not have to part ways with any of the top-three prospects in the farm system.

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Today, the icing was put on the cake to make the Dodgers the clearcut winners of the MLB Trade Deadline.

Starting with the less significant deal, the team acquired Toronto Blue Jays reliever, John Axford. At one point, Axford looked to be one of the best upcoming closers in baseball. Axford has struggled since his breakout 2011 season, playing for seven different teams and accounting for a 4.43 ERA.

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt has his way with troubled relievers and turning them into solid contributors in their respective roles. If any team is going to get the most out of Axford, it is going to be the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The bigger deal of Tuesday was the team acquiring former all-star second baseman Brian Dozier for Logan Forsythe, outfield prospect Luke Raley and left-handed pitching prospect Devin Smeltzer. Raley is now the Twins’ 19th-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

Granted, Dozier is having a down year, batting just .224 with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs, so he was not going to warrant a huge return as a rental.

However, he is still undoubtedly an upgrade from Forsythe, who is hitting .207 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Defensively, Dozier is not as proficient as Forsythe, however, he is not a significant downgrade.

The offensive upgrade and the potential of having Dozier in a starting lineup with other great hitter is a huge pick up for the Dodgers. It is easier to hit with Manny Machado and Justin Turner near you in the order, especially when you become the guy that pitchers have to go after.

So while Dozier likely won’t come to Los Angeles and become Jose Altuve, he is going to be much closer to his 2015 all-star self.

And with that in mind, it is clear that the Dodgers are indeed the winners. The Dodgers completely reinvented a middle infield that is missing Corey Seager and did so with two bats that should add a much-needed jolt to the lineup.

And while the team did not land Chris Archer or an elite reliever, the Dodgers did bolster the bullpen while staying smart and not giving up too much of the farm. Axford is going to help, as will Ross Stripling, who will likely return to the bullpen after his DL stint.

With Hyun-Jin Ryu, Tony Cingrani and Julio Urias also set to make returns from the disabled list in the not too near future, the Dodgers are essentially getting deadline additions within their own roster.

Ryu was lights out before hitting the disabled list, pitching to a 2.12 ERA in six starts. Cingrani is a great left-handed specialist and Urias is the southpaw wonder kid that can come out of the bullpen in October.

The Los Angeles Dodgers added exactly what the team needed. By doing so, the team not only won the deadline but also reemerged as the dominant favorites to represent the National League in the World Series.