Los Angeles Dodgers president Andrew Friedman has insisted publicly that the team doesn't need to make a move before the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, but Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are trying to land a relief pitcher:
Despite the publicly expressed restraint, rival executives do not expect the Dodgers to remain quiet this month. The team is expected to trawl for relievers — with a preference for left-handers but a willingness to add right-handers — while keeping an open mind toward creative ways to improve the roster. This front office executed a three-team trade to acquire Alex Wood in 2015 and parted with well-liked catcher A.J. Ellis to acquire Carlos Ruiz in 2016.
The Dodgers also acquired a pair of relievers, Josh Fields and Jesse Chavez, last summer. They could add multiple relief arms this month, too. The Dodgers bullpen has the best earned-run average in the National League. Even so, Pedro Baez has a history of playoff hiccups, Brandon Morrow is still building trust with Roberts and Fields has become prone to giving up homers. On the left-handed side, neither Luis Avilan nor Grant Dayton has matched the performance he provided in 2016.
Los Angeles has expressed interest in several pitchers, most notably Zach Britton of the Baltimore Orioles and Justin Wilson of the Detroit Tigers. They have one of the top farm systems in the majors, and while they have maintained their desire to hold onto their best prospects, they may part with a few.
Britton posted a 1.38 combined ERA from 2014-2016, and has a 2.25 ERA with five saves and six strikeouts in just 11 appearances after missing most of the first half of the season with a forearm injury.
Wilson has recorded a 2.36 ERA with 10 saves and 49 strikeouts in 34.1 innings in 36 appearances so far this season.
Follow our Los Angeles Dodgers news page for all the latest Dodgers news!
Back to the Los Angeles Dodgers Newsfeed