The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the few MLB teams that are almost always active at the trade deadline, looking to make a big splash and improve their roster heading into the final two months of the season. With a bullpen that has not performed to the level that the front office had anticipated when they dished out over $100 million in contracts this offseason.
In Monday’s contest against the Minnesota Twins, Dodgers’ southpaw Tanner Scott had to leave with a trainer after feeling a sting in his forearm, which is never a good sign. He will almost certainly go on the Injured List for now. Scott was one of those big free agent adds this past Winter for Los Angeles, but he hasn’t panned out exactly how the Dodgers had hoped. After a stellar 2024 season, Scott has seven blown saves thus far this year. This had led to a strong need for a closer approach ahead of the deadline.
Dodgers Should Ask About Two Twins Relievers
The Minnesota Twins seem to be in free fall at this point, as they hold one of the worst records in baseball since mid-June. They have a pair of relievers in Jhoan Duran and Danny Coulombe that the Los Angeles Dodgers should inquire about. As for Duran, he is having a career-type season. In 44.1 innings this season, Duran has a 1.62 ERA and 50 strikeouts. Duran could serve as a relatively cheap reliever for Los Angeles if they choose to be aggressive for him. He’s signed through 2025, but has two arbitration years, which means he shouldn’t cost any more than $5 million/season until 2028.
The other reliever the Dodgers should consider asking about is the lefty Coulombe, who has posted a 0.65 ERA this season in 27.2 innings pitched. Coulombe is an 11-year veteran and came up with Los Angeles in 2014. He’s on a one-year contract and is set to be a free agent after this season. Â With Scott going down with an injury, the Dodgers could use another lefty-leverage arm to use for certain matchups in October. Coulombe would serve perfectly in that role and shouldn’t cost L.A. too much, as he might just be a rental addition.
Dodgers Deadline Outlook
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, has been clear that this deadline, the front office’s target is bullpen reinforcements. With just over a week left until July 31st, the Dodgers are expected to make some sort of splash. In terms of players they could use as trade bait, starter Emmett Sheehan, outfielder James Outman, and prospect Alex Freeland all come to mind as guys they could move off from. Some deals may not even cost that much capital.
The Dodgers are currently in the middle of a series with the Minnesota Twins, and it’ll be interesting to see if they make a mid-series trade for one of the Twins’ relievers. Minnesota has already made it clear they aren’t going to trade Byron Buxton, and starter Joe Ryan being moved also seems unlikely, but relievers are so important at this time of year, and the Twins have three or four of them that multiple teams will come calling on.
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