What will the Los Angeles Dodgers do at the trade deadline?
For the Los Angeles Dodgers, no amount of pitching these days is too much pitching.
Los Angeles has used more pitchers than any team in the league this year, and the injured list is a roster of its own. They're mired in a six-game losing streak, though that has much to do with the offense going cold, and at the trade deadline, they'll assuredly need reinforcements.
The Dodgers' bullpen, at its best, has a few guys already who wield power stuff. But the Dodgers don't care much about equity, so if they can line up a trade for another fireballer, they'll gladly seize the opportunity.
ESPN's Jeff Passan sees that opportunity presenting itself.
On Thursday, Passan named the "best match" for trade additions among possible contenders, and his choice for the Dodgers was Minnesota Twins flamethrowing closer Jhoan Durán.
"The Dodgers enter every deadline season seeking a major move, and the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Durán qualifies," Passan wrote. "With a fastball that averages over 100 mph, a splinker that sits at 98 and a curveball to keep hitters off balance, Durán is pitching as well as ever. He hasn't given up a home run this season, and his 1.52 ERA is third in MLB for pitchers with at least 40 innings."
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"The asking price will be hefty. Durán comes with two more years of team control beyond this season. The Dodgers don't have time to waste on taking advantage of Shohei Ohtani's prime, though, and assembling a team with standouts in all facets is a reasonable goal."
Durán is making only $4.1 million this season, which means the Twins, who are constantly trying to cut payroll these days, don't have a ton of incentive to move him just for salary purposes.
This would probably have to be a trade that a computer model would deem an "overpay" by the Dodgers in terms of prospect capital, but if it gets them back to the World Series, no one will complain about the price.
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Category: Baseball
