The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the middle of several trade rumors as the deadline approaches.
Any trades involving players on the 40-man roster must be completed by 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31. MLB teams can still place or claim players off waivers, but trades will no longer be allowed.
The Dodgers always have high expectations and this year have a championship to defend, adding to the likelihood the team makes a move before the deadline.
The bullpen should be addressed. It’s one of the team’s biggest needs at the moment, considering the number of pitchers on the injury report.
Who could the Dodgers bring in at the trade deadline?
With a glaring need to add depth in the bullpen again, the Dodgers will likely be buyers.
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale provided some options to consider. Among them: Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins and Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians.
Duran has been a solid reliever this season with a 1.62 ERA. Clase has once again been one of the better relief pitchers this season and if the right offer comes along, Cleveland might be willing to part ways with him.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan believes Cade Smith of the Guardians could be a good fit for the Dodgers’ needs.
Passan writes: “The 26-year-old right-hander’s 3.21 ERA is misleading; he has struck out 63 in 42 innings and given up only two home runs. He is a throwback, hurling almost 70% fastballs and not just getting away with it but thriving because of it. And with the L.A. bullpen full of unknowns, he is the (type of player) manager Dave Roberts can deploy at any point in the game with great efficacy. Bonus: He comes with an additional four years of club control.”
Who could the Dodgers move at the trade deadline?
The Dodgers could move on from pitcher Dustin May, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
May could be moved in an attempt to address other areas of need, but he is expected to become an unrestricted free agent, which could impact how he is viewed on the market. He allowed seven runs in 4⅔ innings pitched during his last start on July 11, an 8-7 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He’s started 17 of the 18 games he’s played in and has a 6-6 record this season. He’s allowed 56 runs and 92 hits while striking out 92 in 99 innings pitched.
If he isn’t moved, May could be used as a reliever to finish out the season. His last outing came in relief of Shohei Ohtani, pitching 4⅔ scoreless innings. It was his first relief appearance since 2020.
The Boston Red Sox could have interest in catcher Dalton Rushing, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.
Boston could include shortstop Franklin Arias and left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke in a potential deal. Arias, a 19-year-old Venezuelan, is currently listed as the Red Sox’s top prospect. Clarke is ranked as the fourth-best prospect in Boston’s system.