Los Angeles Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman entered 2025 with a bold declaration:
“My goal is to not buy in July… It’s terrible.”
Well, terrible is exactly what the Dodgers’ bullpen has become.
Despite boasting the most expensive roster in baseball and shelling out $107 million on co-closers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates this offseason, the Dodgers find themselves with a back-end disaster and no choice but to become aggressive buyers ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline.
Scott has been erratic at best, already blowing seven saves and giving up eight home runs with a bloated 4.09 ERA. Yates, meanwhile, has been vulnerable against power hitters, allowing a .500 slugging percentage. To make matters worse, Evan Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery, and both Blake Treinen and Michael Kopech are sidelined with injuries.
That leaves Los Angeles in a precarious spot—first in the NL West but with a faltering bullpen that’s posted a 4.38 ERA. The Padres and Giants are nipping at their heels, and if the Dodgers intend to repeat as World Series champions, the bullpen must be fixed—fast.
As USA Today’s Bob Nightengale put it, “The Dodgers, who swore up and down all winter and spring that they were going to stay out of the trade market, now have no choice but to get another reliever.”
Dodgers Backpedal Into Buy Mode as Bullpen Implodes Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline
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“It leaves the Dodgers scouring the market,” Nightengale continued. “Talking with the Minnesota Twins about Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins, Felix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles, Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals, David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians.”
- Jhoan Duran (Twins): Perhaps the top prize, Duran owns a 1.66 ERA with 15 saves and hasn’t allowed a homer in over 43 innings. His combination of velocity and elite movement makes him the kind of shutdown closer LA desperately needs.
- Griffin Jax (Twins): A strong setup option if Duran proves too expensive. Jax carries a 3.92 ERA but a much more promising 2.98 xERA and a sharp 66:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
- Felix Bautista (Orioles): One of the most electric arms in the league. With a 2.41 ERA and 18 saves in 33.2 innings, Bautista would bring strikeout power and late-inning dominance.
- Ryan Helsley (Cardinals): A more emotional target. Helsley has spent 11 years in the Cardinals organization and would prefer to stay. But with St. Louis likely selling, the 31-year-old, who recently recorded his 100th save, is expected to be available. His 3.27 ERA and closing experience would bring instant credibility to LA’s pen.
- David Bednar (Pirates): After a rocky 2024, Bednar has returned to form and remains a viable closer with plus stuff and playoff grit.
- Emmanuel Clase (Guardians): Perhaps the most intriguing name, especially if paired in a potential blockbuster with outfielder Steven Kwan. Clase owns a 2.91 ERA and 20 saves. Kwan, batting .285, could also help solve LA’s lingering issues in left field, where Michael Conforto has struggled.
ESPN LA’s Travis Rodgers floated the idea of a Clase-Kwan package, but it would come at a hefty prospect cost, likely including Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius, Josue De Paula, and potentially even a top-tier name like Dalton Rushing or Hyeseong Kim.
The irony is sharp: the Dodgers spent big in the offseason to avoid this very situation. But injuries and underperformance have made the bullpen their Achilles’ heel.
And despite Friedman’s reluctance, Los Angeles will have to pay—to stabilize the ninth inning, protect their postseason ambitions, and give fans hope that October won’t end in another bullpen-induced heartbreak.
In a year where “no deals in July” was the mantra, the Dodgers now face the ultimate contradiction: buying ahead of the MLB trade deadline is no longer optional—it’s survival.