Dodgers and Pirates Playing Trade Deadline Game of Chicken
With an hour left to go until Major League Baseball’s only deadline of the year and the much talked about trade rumor of the season is stuck in a stalemate.
The Dodgers are the best team in baseball despite the fact that their bullpen has been sub-par, to say the least. Injuries to Scott Alexander and Dylan Floro, regression of Pedro Baez, a slow start from Joe Kelly and watching Kenley Jansen get through “turbulence” has cost the Dodgers a few games this year.
Add to that the experience of losing the last two World Series due to some bullpen issues and you can understand how everyone in the world knows what the Dodgers need to add in order to take that next step.
Everyone does include the Pittsburg Pirates, who have a team controlled lefty reliever named Felipe Vazquez. They started the month asking for two of the Dodgers top four prospects from the much celebrated farm system, but have recently upped the ask to including the number one prospect, Gavin Lux, after watching his offensive explosion in Triple A.
With the deadline an hour away, the #Pirates have not moved off their ask of Gavin Lux OR Dustin May plus Keibert Ruiz from the #Dodgers for Felipe Vázquez, source tells The Athletic. #Dodgers currently focused on lesser relievers. Situation remains fluid, subject to change.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2019
Asking to give up two prospects for a reliever is a lot to ask, but the Pirates are the ones that don’t have to do anything, while the Dodgers need to do something significant.
Is this going to go down to the last minute or will the Dodgers stand pat and roll with what they have into the post-season?
No top prospects = NO RINGS. I love being the best regular season team, then seeing our bullpen get lit up in the World Series. Will be sad to watch for a 3rd year in a row for not giving up someone that won’t contribute for another 2 or 3 years, may linger and even maybe never. Pull the trigger….30 minutes remain.
If the cost for Vázquez is Lux OR May plus Ruiz, the trigger should be pulled by giving up May. We get to keep Lux, & Ruiz is expendable because of Will Smith.
Again, it won’t make a difference until they start playing better defense.
They should have gotten SOMEONE who can pitch the 8th. I would have been okay with getting Giles and letting him heal until October.