The Los Angeles Dodgers remain the focus of the Major League Baseball landscape as people around the league wait and see how they attack the trade deadline.
The Dodgers are going for a three-peat, something that has not been done in over two decades, and with their ambitious goal, an aggressive trade-deadline approach is not in question; in fact, it is expected.
The name that everyone is penciling in for the Dodgers is Tarik Skubal, one of the best pitchers on the planet who will be hitting free agency and expects a big payday.
However, if the price becomes too much or the Dodgers feel good about the health of either of the two key starters on the IL — Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow — they could pivot to a different position.
On the whole, the Dodgers’ bullpen has been great this year, with the unit as a whole bouncing back despite the absence of Edwin Diaz for most of the season.
However, contending teams can never have enough relievers, and there is still a need for a third high-leverage arm who can be totally relied on.
Diaz and Tanner Scott will be counted on, along with Alex Vesia in middle-relief scenarios, but there could be another arm added that enters this circle of trust, especially with Blake Treinen falling a bit out of favor.
A releiver trade option for the Dodgers
According to Jeff Passan, St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien could be an option.
“It ends up one of two places: They get the best pitcher in the world, or they drive up the price for others already struggling to keep up with them,” Passan said.
“And if the latter is the outcome, using a player or two to get O’Brien as insurance for injured closer Edwin Díaz — and having him be the long-term replacement for Blake Treinen, with a filthy sinker-slider combination — is a worthwhile pivot.”
In 27 appearances, O’Brien has made 27 appearances with a 3.95 ERA, totaling 15 saves. He generates a ton of soft contact, which the Dodgers can use in their bullpen.
LA tends to value stuff in their relief pitchers, but O’Brien would be a nice complementary piece for their bullpen staff.
If O’Brien is available, he would fit the Dodgers’ needs and give Dave Roberts versatility in deploying arms come October.
