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Dave Roberts during a game against the Angels.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the few teams in Major League Baseball that are always seeking to make a major move come the trade deadline. With just a few weeks to go until July 31st, there has been some cause for concern in Los Angeles regarding their pitching depth. This is mostly due to injuries, but the Dodgers have lost six straight games for the first time since 2019 after being swept in back-to-back series.
Most recently, it was Michael Kopech who was sent to the 60-day injured list with a torn meniscus in his knee. He is expected to return this season, but with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates being very inconsistent this season, the Dodgers could look to add some bullpen depth this deadline, and MLB insider Jeff Passan believes so as well.
Jeff Passan Links Twins’ Jhoan Durán to Dodgers
The Minnesota Twins are likely headed towards being sellers if they so please. Starters Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez have come up in trade rumors, and now it’s Jhoan Durán who may be moved. In a recent ESPN.com article, Passan names Durán as a player the Los Angeles Dodgers should trade for ahead of the deadline:
“The Dodgers enter every deadline season seeking a major move, and the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Durán qualifies. 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,” wrote Passan.
The Twins are third in the American League Central, and two games below .500, which doesn’t put them in a good position to make the playoffs. Durán has 14 saves and 45 strikeouts. He is the perfect option for the back end of Los Angeles’s bullpen. He is having a career-type season. Durán is on track for a career-low ERA and a career-high in innings if he continues to be used frequently in the second half of the season.
What Would Durán Cost LA?
Considering Durán isn’t a free agent for a couple more seasons, the asking price would likely cost the Los Angeles Dodgers one of their top prospects. In a deal like this, the Dodgers could send over outfielder James Outman and fifth-ranked southpaw prospect Jackson Ferris. Ferris is having success in the Dodgers’ minor league system, and Outman has had trouble finding his footing with LA, but might just need an organizational change.
As for what this deal could mean for Los Angeles? Well, as noted, they have dealt with a plethora of pitching injuries this season, and their bullpen no longer looks as stiff as it did at the beginning of this season and the offseason. The Dodgers likely aren’t going to target a starter this deadline, so adding another high-leverage reliever makes sense. Will the Dodgers want to give up one of their higher-ranked prospects? That part is unclear, but as the trade deadline looms closer, Los Angeles could certainly be one of the more active teams.
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