The Los Angeles Dodgers may be in first place, but their bullpen is anything but championship caliber. What began as a strength on paper has unraveled due to underperformance, injury, and inconsistency. With the July 31 trade deadline fast approaching, it’s clear Andrew Friedman will need to deviate from his preseason mantra: “My goal is to not buy in July… It’s terrible.”
Terrible might be an understatement. Primary closer Tanner Scott left Monday’s win over the Twins with forearm discomfort and is undergoing an MRI. He had already blown seven saves and carried a 4.14 ERA. Co-closer Kirby Yates has been vulnerable to power bats, and Evan Phillips is out for the year following Tommy John surgery. With Blake Treinen and Michael Kopech also sidelined, Dave Roberts’ options have thinned to a crisis point.
“We were already in the market for relief help,” Roberts admitted postgame. “This might shift how we approach it.”
Cade Smith Named Best Fit For Struggling Dodgers Bullpen
Enter Cade Smith, the Cleveland Guardians’ flame-throwing 26-year-old setup man, who Jeff Passan of ESPN calls a potential game-changer for Los Angeles. Smith’s surface-level 3.21 ERA belies elite underlying metrics: 63 strikeouts in 42 innings, just two homers allowed, and a fastball-heavy approach that has dominated MLB hitters.
“He is a throwback,” Passan wrote, “hurling almost 70% fastballs and not just getting away with it but thriving because of it.” Smith’s 35% strikeout rate and 15.1% swinging strike rate mark him as one of the league’s premier swing-and-miss relievers.
He’s also controllable — and cheap. Smith is earning just above the league minimum and won’t hit arbitration until 2027. That team control, paired with dominant stuff, makes him a rarity on the market and a costly acquisition. Still, Passan believes the Dodgers are positioned to strike.
“Relievers are the ultimate midlife crisis car,” he noted. “They sound fun. They look great. And then they break down… But these are the Dodgers. If any team can afford to part with high-end prospects in search of excellence, it’s them.”
Cleveland is reportedly listening on both Smith and closer Emmanuel Clase, though executives believe it’s more likely one — not both — will move. And if the Guardians are betting on Smith to become their next elite closer, any deal will take significant prospect capital.
The Dodgers, however, have little choice. The bullpen will look different in August. Whether that includes Smith remains to be seen — but it should.