The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the few MLB teams that are steadily active at the trade deadline, and this year should be no different. Despite having the largest payroll in baseball and making improvements during this offseason after winning the 2024 World Series, the Dodgers still have holes in their roster, mostly due to pitching injuries, but also players not performing to the level they should be.
Los Angeles won back-to-back games headed into the All-Star break, but has lost seven of their last nine, and the bullpen has been a major issue. Los Angeles has recorded the most bullpen innings in MLB, and has the 24th-ranked bullpen ERA at 4.38, and is towards the bottom of the list that includes a bunch of non-contenders like the Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, and Baltimore Orioles.
However, LA still has a chance to make a couple of splashes at the trade deadline, and could be in on Nationals’ closer Kyle Finnegan.
Nationals Likely to Be Sellers at the Deadline
The Washington Nationals are out of contention again for the fifth straight season, and that has led to the belief that they will be sellers at the July 31st deadline. A guy like Finnegan could be on the move as he’s on a one-year deal and is likely to get the attention of many contending clubs. Washington has a solid young core of position players and starters, but for Finnegam, who is 33 years old, he may want to be shipped to a contender like the Los Angeles Dodgers. Finnegan was an All-Star in 2024 and was certainly a fringe guy this season as well. He has a 3.12 ERA in 34.2 innings this season. He has also recorded 18 saves on a Nationals team that hasn’t picked up many wins.
For Los Angeles, the closer position has been somewhat of an issue this season. They signed Tanner Scott to a long-term deal this offseason, but he has struggled in his opportunities with seven blown saves so far. Michael Kopech could have been a guy to close things out for LA, but he has battled injuries all season. First, it was a shoulder injury, but now he’s sidelined with knee inflammation. If Los Angeles wants to repeat as World Series champions, they have to get the bullpen sorted out.
How Much Would Los Angeles Give Up?
It’s unclear whether or not the Washington Nationals want to give up Finnegan or not, but considering he is set to be a free agent after this season, it would likely only cost the Los Angeles Dodgers one or two mid-tier prospects, making him an affordable option for Los Angeles.
Again, expect the Dodgers to make a big splash this trade deadline, because it seems like they do pretty much every season. The front office would be silly to ignore the problems of the bullpen, and it has to be their number one priority when searching for reinforcements. Finnegan is the exact type of high-leverage arm that the Dodgers need for another deep October run.
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