It would surprise approximately no one if the Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest splashes at this season’s Major League Baseball trade deadline.
If some are upset at the Dodgers because they perceive them to be hoarding talent, they should shift their watchful gaze to their own teams. When LA identifies a problem with their roster, they act quickly to fix it, which is what every team should do.
It’s not that the Dodgers don’t have the makings of a strong bullpen, especially if even half of their talent on the injured list comes back healthy. But they don’t have a traditional lockdown closer, and that might be something they try to correct ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.
One baseball writer believes there’s a two-time All-Star who could be a fit for this Dodgers roster as they go for a World Series repeat.
On Sunday, Katrina Stebbins of FanSided named St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley as one of the top theoretical trade targets for this Dodgers team ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.
“Helsley would be another true rental from St. Louis and is owed $8.2 million in his last season before free agency. He led baseball in saves last season with 49 and has nine in 12 finished games so far this season,” Stebbins wrote.
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“The Dodgers have a closer in Tanner Scott, but Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, and Evan Phillips’ absences have left massive holes in the bullpen, especially for high-leverage situations.”
There’s just one flaw in this brilliant plan: The Cardinals are winning a lot more games than expected. Coming off a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, they’re 30-23, putting them in a virtual tie for the third National League Wild Card spot.
But if St. Louis comes crashing back toward .500, they’d be foolish not to at least consider offers on Helsley. And there’s no reason to doubt that the Dodgers would make them a competitive offer.
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