The Dodgers have been comparatively lively to this point on the deadline, however the rumor mill has not been, as there aren’t many concrete connections to discover.

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Sadly, the thrill of the final rumors put up was short-lived, as we now know that any hopes of getting Nolan Arenado are lifeless, or at the very least distant.

“I’ve acknowledged we’re not buying and selling him, haven’t requested him to waive his [no-trade clause],” Mozeliak stated, in response to the newspaper. “So at the moment, we’re engaged on constructing future success.”
That doesn’t imply talks between the Cardinals and Dodgers didn’t occur. Discussions centered on Arenado going to Los Angeles with a pitcher — Jack Flaherty or Jordan Montgomery — in change for a package deal that includes pitching prospects. Arenado’s contract features a no-trade clause, however he would’ve waived it to hitch the Dodgers, in response to folks with information of the scenario.

Oh properly, there’s all the time the low season.

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The Dodgers have now turned their consideration to the beginning pitching market in earnest, as Justin Verlander seems to be Plan A.

Plan A is a pursuit of New York Mets ace Justin Verlander — a possible blockbuster deal that is still on the desk forward of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. Pacific deadline, however would require the groups to bridge gaps on each the prospect return the Dodgers would ship to New York, in addition to how a lot of Verlander’s contract the Mets are keen to pay down.

Verlander is 40 and has seen his numbers take a step again from his 2022 Cy Younger Award season, posting a 3.15 ERA, 3.29 xERA, and 4.61 DRA, and has notably seen his strikeout charge fall of the third yr in a row and is strolling virtually double the batters as he did in 2022.

He additionally missed all of April as a result of a teres main pressure, however has discovered his type of late, posting a 1.69 ERA in 5 July begins, although the strikeout to stroll charge remains to be a pedestrian 32 to 16, which is why he has a 3.20 FIP over that point. Additionally, once more, he’s 40 so bouncing again from injury-riddled begin just isn’t essentially a great signal for future damage considerations.

And that’s related as a result of he’s owed $15 million this yr, $43 million subsequent yr, and has a $35 million vesting possibility (140 innings in 2024) for 2025. Oh proper, he additionally has a no-trade clause as properly, and would possibly need the Dodgers to do one thing like make sure that 2025 choice to waive it. That’s an enormous outlay for a pitcher exhibiting fairly apparent indicators of decline.

Alternatively, the Dodgers are fairly rattling determined proper now, and so they’ve put themselves on this gap with the low season they’d, throughout which they wished to signal Verlander for about the identical outlay anyway. It’s additionally a Corridor Of Fame pitcher, who they certainly hope would determine changes to be efficient going ahead and will mentor their different younger arms.

Nonetheless, the one approach I can see this working is that if the Mets both wish to straight wage dump him or pay down his contract and solely request high-minor prospects (slightly than like Bobby Miller or Emmet Sheehan) in return. It appears unlikely.

Nonetheless, the extra money the Mets embrace within the deal, the extra of a prospect package deal they’ll need in return, with younger Dodgers pitchers, together with Emmet Sheehan, believed to be coveted by New York, in response to an individual with information of the scenario.

Yeah. Comprehensible, however until they’re keen to take totally different prospects, I’m undecided how a lot sense it makes for the reason that Dodgers want all of the MLB-ready younger pitching they will get themselves.

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In the identical article, it’s talked about that Dodgers Digest Commerce Deadline Target Eduardo Rodriguez is the fallback possibility.

Plan B might be a pivot to Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez — a 30-year-old veteran who’s having a career-best yr and will turn out to be a free agent this winter.

We’ve already went deep on him within the goal article, however every little thing has seemingly held since.

As with every little thing else it is dependent upon the value, however this does appear to be essentially the most smart possibility in the intervening time.

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Mitch Keller is an thrilling chance…

Extra from David Vassegh on potential Mitch Keller commerce: “I am undecided if that is public data or not, however I used to be instructed at present by any individual in Pittsburgh that the Pirates low-balled an extension to Mitch Keller, and he turned it down.” https://t.co/Imeej4J9uF

— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) August 1, 2023

…although Bruce has heard in any other case.

We’ll see how the market develops (and also you by no means know what chaos can occur on deadline day), however the Pirates definitely don’t have to maneuver Keller. He’s below crew management for 2 extra seasons so Pittsburgh has loads of leverage to face agency on their worth.

— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) August 1, 2023

Sigh.

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Once more, not plenty of connections to others on the market like Jack Flaherty or Michael Lorenzen, however they certainly must be in there as properly. I haven’t seen Paul Blackburn’s title talked about, however he may make some sense as properly. Hell, even Wealthy Hill. I imply, why not?

Both approach, by admitting that even Lance Lynn is an improve, it appears clear the Dodgers know they should improve the pitching employees, it’s only a matter of discovering the suitable deal. I can’t think about them not getting at the very least one other starter or this might be an entire mess down the stretch.