The trade deadline is just two days away and the Dodgers like most contending clubs are looking to fortify their rosters in time for postseason baseball. One of the glaring weaknesses on the Dodger’s roster is middle relief. The Dodgers have one of the worst bullpens in baseball this season and have a huge massive black hole sized need for a lockdown reliever for the late innings.
One of the best relievers supposedly on the trade market this season is Pittsburgh left hander Felipe Vazquez. Reports are indicating that the Dodgers are interested. Many clubs are interested in Vazquez’s arm and it’s not difficult to see why. He’s one of the best relievers in the National league and under team control for the next two seasons. He is an elite reliever.
Vazquez would fit well into any team’s late inning relief corp. The 28-year old has posted a 1.87 ERA over 40 appearances. In 43.1 innings pitched Vazquez has notched 21 saves while striking out 68 against just 11 walks. His strikeout to walk ratio is incredibly good (6-1) and he rarely allows home runs, just 3 in 43.1 frames. A true indicator of a great pitcher is the ability to limit base runners and Vazquez does just that, allowing just 7.3 per nine and recording a 1.96 FIP.
You get the picture now. Vazquez is great. The Pirates are mired in the basement of the National League central and in need of rebuilding their farm system. According to rumors, the Dodgers want Vazquez but the Bucs want Gavin Lux, the Dodgers top position player prospect.
Lux is currently tearing up Oklahoma City. The 21-year old is batting .474 at triple-A right now. He’s so good that the Dodgers may have to call him up if he doesn’t get dealt. The Dodgers are trying to get Vazquez but apparently are hesitant to deal Lux in any deal. The question I have for everyone is in regards to Lux and the trade deadline. Would you trade Lux for Vazquez? Or would you flip Lux for an elite reliever?
There are no guarantees that a lockdown reliever will help the Dodgers win a World Series. However getting a reliever of Vazquez’s quality, (especially one with two years of team control) would greatly improve their chances of winning the World Series. The bullpen as currently constructed is not a championship caliber pen. Lux is great, but if Vazquez comes into the eighth inning of game 4 of the World Series and shuts down the heart of the Houston lineup, then that would be worth a thousand Gavin Luxs’. Do you all agree?
No, I would not trade Lux for a reliever., no matter how great he may be.
The Dodgers, problems are way deeper than just relief pitching. One added arm to the bullpen will not help. With their Starters struggling to get to the sixth inning, they need at least a couple of decent middle relievers and a new closer. They could even use another starter, as 3 (Kershaw, Maeda, Buehler) and 1/2 (Strips) they have right now are just not strong enough to get them through October. Both Starters and Relievers continue to serve up the dingers at inopportune times. Ryu is about all they have that they can depend on, but offense and relievers has failed him a few times.
Pitching will get you nowhere if your defense fails you, and your offense continues to squander scoring opportunities.
All these shortcomings were apparent tonight, against the last place Rockies.
So why give up one of your top prospects for one pitcher, who cannot singlehandedly change things?
They “might” win the West again, but I do not see them going anywhere after that. So, best thing to do is finish the season as far as they can go, and clean house in the offseason. Start filling the Dodger Stadium dumpster. “Do Not” give away the prospects, who you can build upon next season.
^^^ I agree. What’s the tried-and-true line, Defense wins Championships. Right now, the Dodgers defense is porous. Pederson is NOT a major league infielder and frankly, neither is Muncy. I fear he is really more of an eventual DH, though I would not deal him any time soon.
The Dodgers have an aging Juston Turner they will need to replace with Seager and then a hole in the infield without Lux at shortstop. Dealing him for a single relief arm makes no sense.
You are right, Pederson will not be an infielder. Muncy should stay at first. He has his shortcomings there, but where else are you going to put him?
I also blame a lot of the errors on poor defensive alignment, and overuse of an exaggerated shift.
Exactly, and from the limited AB’s I have seen he (LUX) has against LHP, because obviously OKC isn’t seeing that many of them, last I checked Lux was hitting .471 against LHP. Yes it’s the minors, but if Dodgers can move Pederson out then adding Lux would be great when they feel it’s his time. NO reliever on this planet is worth trading Lux for, and that said reliever with all these other issues won’t get the job done by himself no matter how great he performs.
Bluefan4Life, right on!!!!!!!!!! And instead of Lux or May, how about including Joc Pederason in some deal because quite frankly he is hurting this team trying to play and learn 1st base in the middle of a season, 14 game lead or no 14 game lead. and I do want to thank you for saving me having to bring up all these other issues you pointed that are all perfectly true about what we are seeing from this team in the present day.
Roberts pulled Pederson for not running out a play. I believe Pederson is frustrated with the 1B experiment. I think Dave Roberts is about at the end of his rope., and ready to give up on the audition too.
This is why I think Joc’s days are numbered, and he is expendable. Probably good for both sides, as Dodgers derailed his career, turning him into a one dimensional player, with all the platooning and Lefty Lineups. Might as well try and get something for him, as part of a trade.
I think he would have been worth more right after the Derby, but now his stock has took a dive, big time.
Too bad for Joc. He was one of my favorite players…. well so was Puig, too! Shows yuo how much I know?
I do not think Joc is going anywhere. And putting Joc at 1st was not all Doc’s idea. That came from the front office. They had to play Pollock when he got healthy, Joc was doing well in the leadoff roll, and they needed to keep getting Verdugo playing time. Nothing has changed. Joc has not even played 20 games at first yet and he is learning on the fly. You don’t just screw up the teams chemistry, and you especially do not trade one of your teams top power hitters mid season. Not unless you are getting a power hitter back. Joc is 3rd on the team in homers. They have no other real lead off man. The entire offense has been very inconsistent lately. An the entire team is making way too many errors, not just Joc. Muncy’s error led to the big inning. Joc’s error had no affect since Maeda pitched out of it. Focus on the main problem, which is the pen, and they aren’t trading Joc for a reliever.
Michael, 14 game lead or not, the off season would have been a better time to have Joc play 1st and see how he does in ST. But Joc had a hand in being a one dimensional player, as far as not being able to hit LHP.. yes, the Dodger platoon philosophy does not help, but remember what Bellinger did in the off season so he would NOT remain a platoon player. As I see this now however, Joc is not hitting well enough at all to continue playing 1st base but it’s not our decision. BP remains the main fly in the ointment so to speak but right now a lack of any real impact RH bats will what be exposed come October as well. Don’t get me wrong because Turner is a great 3rd place hitter but he is not going to give us 25+ and 90+ RBI’s anymore and neither will Pollock. I do believe in a way that Kike and Taylor being out right now is hurting Dodgers options on offense too.
My deadline strategy would be to target starting pitching. I don’t envision too many impact relievers moving. The Red Sox (defending champs) are looking for relievers and have signaled they will look at more affordable options. The off-season was the time to get relievers. The Astros are said to be looking for starting pitching. I say we trade for the best starters to block the other contenders.
I would add that I would also target a middle infielder for backup.
I have to agree with that. But I am not trading Lux for anyone.
…. then they might as well play him, Michael. Why dive in the dumpsters if you have a fully capable 2B/SS right in your backyard?
I’m just sayin’
You would have to ask AF that, and although Lux is capable, he has no experience and in reality, they are not bringing him up in a pressure cooker situation like this. Especially not to play everyday. I do not agree with that. I think it is the best time to see what the kid has got, Seager did it and performed well. But he wilted in the playoffs.
And neither am I, Michael. I am also not trading May for anyone, but am willing to part with Ruiz, now that Will Smith appears to have some hold on the starting catcher spot. Heck, he was the only Dodger to score last night.
If AF is serious about Vazquez, it will take Ruiz and a couple of others I would think and maybe even a MLB ready player. We will have to see. So far, the Dodgers have been quiet and no real rumors out there. If they are insisting on Lux, which was the first report, they will not get him.
HMexivin,
Definitely, target a starter. Four of the five starters are basically middle relievers who can give a strong 4-5 innings before they get into trouble, or DR yanks them prematurely. Odd starter out, would be Maeda, and/or Strips (if Hill comes back strong) to the pen. No real quality relievers avail, unless they sacrifice a couple of high prospects… definitely not worth it. Sometimes, I do not understand the early hooks by DR, especially when he does not have the relief pitching to make such a move feasible…. he is just burning up the arms in the pen…. who are already half toasted already.
As far as middle infield, just bring up Lux…. what are they saving him for?…. a rainy day? “It never rains in Southern California”! He could even nab one of the spots, as Kiké, Muncy, and CT3 are not performing up to their expectations. I would like to see a Seager/Lux tandem in the middle.
Bluefan, I am good with that but you know that a player from the 25 man roster would have to be moved off the roster, and preferably one of the other many LH batters we have. I would even guess that if Lux was a RH hitter he might already be up by now, just saying.
Then Negron would have to go. Why they picked him up, I do not know. I would even dump one of the worthless relievers, If I had to.
Trade deadline? Forget about it! Dodgers do not need a trade. Save the Prospects! They just clobbered the last place Rockies.
The offense was clicking tonight, the bullpen pitched the whole game, and we have a new for inning closer! Keep the kids on the farm, AF had a successful dumpster expedition.
Whoo Hoo!
I mean it is a good place to be.
As i’ve said, a good (if not great) time to be a fan.
I think the team still adds a reliever.
ESPN has baseball today on early today leading up to the deadline, so if anything happens, and other than a couple of minors moves, nothing has, we will know about it. Not sure what irons AF has in the fire.
Dodgers pick up Jed Gyrko from Cards, for two minor leaguers. A 30 year old on the 60-day IL, with back problems…. might as well be Grand-Pappy Amos McCoy.?♂️
Actually, they got Gyrko for cash, Cingrani, and minor leaguer Abreu.
… well, it looks like Dodgers standing pat. Does not look promising for October, as other teams seemed to have made big moves. Dodgers will have a gauntlet to run through…. they have a huge target on their backs and everyone is out to beat the Dodgers.
Correction, Gyrko for cash, Cingrani, and Abreu.
Also added reliever Kolarek from Rays, who was a non-roster invitee to Rays’ ST camp in 2017. Been up and down to minors. Recently recalled from minors.
Both Gyrko and Kolarek are 30yr old dumpter quality players.
Another Same Ol’ Same Ol’ season.
I hope everyone had a great time discussing the possible trades the Dodgers could have made. Unfortunately, Friedman does not know anything except dumpster dive. The bullpen has not been helped and so we can expect more of the same with the current bunch. Go ahead and give Andy a bunch of credit. If doing nothing gets him credit then he wins hands down. Give me a break!!!!
They did get a reliever, 30 yr old Adam Kolarek from the Rays. He was a non-roster invitee to Rays’ Camp, in 2017. He has since been up and down to the minors. Just recently optioned down, and then recalled in June.
Will wonders never cease. ?♂️
Look for Same Ol’ Same Ol’ again this season. Other teams have bolstered up…. Dodgers did nothing.
Well they are calling up May tomorrow. Gyorko will most likely take White’s place when he is activated. It looks now like Kike will be out until September. Kike who? At this rate Negron will have 50 homers by the end of the year! LOL. I just read an interview with Friedman. He said none of the players they were targeting got traded. So that means they probably did not even make a bid on Greene. Pirates did not move off of their exorbitant asking price for Vazquez. Mets pulled Diaz and Thor off of the market as did the Sox with Colome. Biting our nails and being pissed off is not going to change anything. Even getting Greinke, the Astros are getting 24 million dollars to offset that contract. They did get a lefty, who is supposed to be pretty good at shutting down LH bats. They are counting on solid contributions from the farm. We don’t have to like what was not done and if you read social media, AF is getting crucified. But as we cannot change it all we can do is keep supporting the players we do have.
Probably the smartest thing AF did was to no give any prospects away. The asking price was way too steep. Now, AF has to depend on the “Kids” (whom he swore were not ready for the Big Show), to carry them through October. I think these “Kids” will come out hungry like wolves. Time to show these veterans how to earn their keep. I just pray that these “Kids” are up to the challenge. Verdugo, Smith, Buehler, and Beaty have shown they can wear the big boys pants. May will get a shot Friday, Lux should be coming up soon, as Kiké will be out through September, and CT3 indefinitely. Negrón has shown promise, but is it just adrenaline? Pederson has been granted a reprive, and can still prove his worth to the Team.
I still think the weaknesses will be the pitching (both starting and relief), defense, and RISP. They seem to have the offense, but with the constant shuffling of the batting order is making it difficult for players to understand what is expected of them. They can still hit the homers, but usually when nobody on, and they cannot situational hit to bring in the baserunners when the opportunity arises. Also must cut down on the strikeouts. Just tonight, they managed to strike out 16 times! That is totally unacceptable. Defensively, the team suffers from the constant shuffling of positions and over-shifting in defensive alignments.
They are now stuck with what they have, so they must step up their game. No more excuses, no more second guessing the “Kid’s” abilities. The other teams have bolstered their rosters and are ready to challenge the best record in the MLB. The Dodgers have a big target on their backs.
Let’s Go Dodgers! You control your own destiny! Take care of your own business, and the championship will be yours.