As the MLB trade deadline nears, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain one of the most compelling teams to watch—not because of who they might acquire, but because of how desperate their need has become.
Despite early season dominance and a star-studded roster, the Dodgers have stumbled into July with a crumbling bullpen and a dwindling cushion atop the NL West. After Tuesday’s 10–7 loss to the Minnesota Twins—Los Angeles’ 11th defeat in their last 14 games—manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince words: “It better be rock bottom.”
The game was a microcosm of the Dodgers’ recent spiral. Reliever Edgardo Henriquez’s seventh-inning throwing error allowed three runs to score. Ben Casparius failed to record a single out while giving up three more. Then he exited with a calf injury. The crowd at Dodger Stadium booed loudly, recognizing a once-dominant bullpen now on life support.
That urgency has led to a flood of rumors, including a recent report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that the Dodgers have spoken to multiple teams about closers—Minnesota’s Jhoan Duran, Baltimore’s Felix Bautista, St. Louis’ Ryan Helsley, Pittsburgh’s David Bednar, and Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase, among others.
Insider Casts Doubt on Dodgers Trade Rumors
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Yet The Baseball Insiders’ Robert Murray cast doubt on some of those rumors, particularly any involving elite closers.
“I don’t think they’re going to want to explore the deep end of the bullpen market,” Murray said. “As of this point I haven’t heard them connected to David Bednar… They have to do something. I just don’t think it will be the typical big splash we’re used to the Dodgers doing.”
That sentiment echoes President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman’s offseason vow: “My goal is to not buy in July… It’s terrible.”
But terrible is exactly what L.A.’s bullpen has become. Tanner Scott, one of the Dodgers’ high-priced offseason acquisitions, has a 4.09 ERA with seven blown saves. Kirby Yates has been inconsistent. And Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, and Michael Kopech are all hurt. The bullpen’s 4.38 ERA ranks 24th in MLB—despite leading the league in innings pitched.
The irony is unavoidable: the Dodgers tried to avoid this scenario by spending in the winter. But now, like it or not, buying at the deadline has become a necessity, not a luxury.
Whether that buy will be a blockbuster remains to be seen. But as injuries pile up and the Padres close in, the Dodgers’ margin for error is vanishing—and the clock is ticking.