Potential Transactions to Help Dodgers Push to Playoffs

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Photo courtesy of espn.go.com

Andrew Choi, Sports Editor
July 29, 2014

With the trade deadline less than four days away, there are many rumors surrounding the Dodgers clubhouse. The first place Los Angeles Dodgers, 59-47, are currently one and a half games ahead of the San Francisco Giants. However, transactions are necessary if we are talking about playoffs. Even though the Dodgers have the highest payroll in the league, the team has to be open-minded on the options it can acquire from possible trades. Here a few the Dodgers can make before the deadline:

  1. Acquire another reliable starting pitcher: The Dodgers are known to have one of the best pitching rotation in the league, which consists of Clayton Kershaw, Zach Grienke, and Hyun Jin Ryu, . However, the backhand of the rotation, Josh Beckett and Dan Haren, is mediocre and unreliable. Although Beckett has been having a great comeback season, the Dodgers should worry about Beckett’s health since he has been on the disabled list many times this season. Haren, on the other hand, has been awful this past July. With four starts this month, Haren has a ridiculous earned run average of 9.47 in only 19 innings. Haren was projected to be a contender for the third spot in the rotation, early in the year. However, with his recent showings, he might fall out of the rotation. Before this year’s trade deadline, there is one pitcher that the Dodgers should not overlook: Boston Red Sox’s John Lester. With a solid 2.52 ERA, the three-time all-star veteran pitcher would fit perfectly into the Dodgers rotation with his playoff experiences.
  2. Trade away one member from the crowded outfield: Currently on the Dodgers’ roster, there are five outfielders competing for three spots. With Yasiel Puig locked in centerfield, two spots are open for four outfielders. People may say that the franchise should trade leftfielder Carl Crawford but no team is willing to accept Crawford’s’ $22 million per year contract. There have been many recent rumors about outfielder Matt Kemp, who is on a hot hitting streak. Although Kemp has a heavy $21 million contract, the former MVP runner-up has an explosive bat which is very attractive to playoff contention teams. The current trade possibility causing the buzz is Kemp for Lester. This works out perfectly for both teams because the Red Sox are in dire need of an offensive outfielder and the Dodgers are over stocked on outfielders.
  3. Pursue a relief pitcher for the struggling Dodgers’ Bullpen: The Dodgers’ bullpen of Kensley Jansen, JP Howell, and Brian Wilson has been inconsistent throughout the season. Wilson and pitcher Chris Perez were once acknowledged to be unhittable throughout the league in past years. However, this season, both are averaging a 5.40 ERA and gave up many games that the Dodgers should have won. The Dodgers should try to acquire Phillies’ pitcher Jonathan Papelbon. If the Dodgers are able to get Papelbon, they would acquire a right-handed pitcher with a 1.21 ERA in the 2014 season and a career 1.00 ERA in 18 postseason games. Papelbon’s veteran experience should help the Dodgers make the playoffs and possibly the World Series.

Even though the Dodgers swept the Giants over the weekend, they still have to worry about the playoffs since anything can happen in the last couple months of the season. If the Dodgers are able to complete at least one of these transaction, it will set a precedent that the Dodgers are willing to do anything to help the team reach the playoffs and win the World Series.