The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last season and surely have their sights on defending their title in 2021. However, a new obstacle stands in their way in the form of the San Francisco Giants, who have risen to new heights and now hold the best record in all of MLB. As for Los Angeles itself, their biggest need comes in the bullpen. Contenders can never stack up enough arms and the Dodgers are certainly in a position to bolster their relief pitching depth.
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Current Position
Record: 56-35
Rank: Second in NL West (2.0 GB)
Status: Buyers
The reigning champions sit just two games behind the Giants, who possess the best record in all of baseball. San Francisco has managed to secure a firm lead in the division for most of the season, though the Dodgers could try to change that trend by swinging a few trades ahead of the upcoming deadline. Los Angeles does have a very sound roster, though, so it will be interesting to see just how aggressive they are.
Trade Candidates
Paul Fry, Relief Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles
Fry is one of the league’s more talented relievers on the market this summer. Baltimore is surely willing to trade him, though they will only do it if they are getting a significant haul in return. The southpaw throws his fastball on 60 percent of pitches, his slider on 39 percent, and his changeup very rarely. His slider is his best pitch as its 2,770 rpm ranks 25th in baseball (among 329 pitchers with at least 500 pitches thrown). The 28-year-old posted a 2.45 ERA last year, though that number has jumped to 4.09 in 2021. Perhaps most impressive are his .210 OBA and zero home runs allowed. Fry will certainly be tough to pry away from Baltimore as he costs just $581,000 this year and is under control through 2024.
Wily Peralta, Starting Pitcher, Detroit Tigers
The Dodgers don’t have a massive need for starting pitching. However, they could benefit from adding someone who can serve as a starter or reliever. Peralta fits that role as he made zero starts between 2019 and 2020 before starting five of six games this year. Since being selected to the majors one month ago, the 32-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and .172 OBA. His pitching metrics are quite interesting as he has the second-lowest spin rate on fastballs (1,815 rpm) and third-lowest spin rate on changeups (1,083 rpm) among hurlers with at least 250 pitches thrown this year. Peralta is making $1.5 million this year but will hit free agency in just a few months. He’s a perfect rental to be dealt from the non-contending Tigers to the competitive Dodgers.
Andrew Miller, Relief Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
Miller has formed a solid career in MLB, logging appearances in each of the last 16 seasons. Through 22 years, the Cardinals reliever has posted a 3.66 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and .299 OBA. There are some contractual hurdles here, though. For starters, he is taking in a hefty $12 million this year and can earn an additional $100,000 for every five appearances between 40 and 60. Most noteworthy of all is his full no-trade clause. However, it seems reasonable to presume that he could waive this to leave the sub-.500 Cardinals and join a strong Dodgers squad.
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