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NL West: Preview of the MLB Trade Deadline

By Benjamin Chase

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Los Angeles Dodgers unvail their 2013 National League West Division Championship banner before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: The Los Angeles Dodgers unvail their 2013 National League West Division Championship banner before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on September 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 25: Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson (31) helps us Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) after Seager appears to him himself following an awkward fall while trying to catch a shallow bloop single in the game between the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers on April 25, 2018, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

NL West preview: Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB trade deadline role: Buyer
The Dodgers were dominant in 2017, and many didn’t see that slowing down in 2018. The team returned largely intact and the pitchers that left the bullpen were replaced by quality pieces. Instead, the team came out of the gate in 2018 very slow due to injuries, and as players have begun to return to the lineup, the Dodgers have begun to take off again, quickly asserting themselves as one of the dominant teams not just in the NL West, but the entire National League.

The Dodgers have tremendous depth on their roster, which has allowed the team to absorb the loss of Corey Seager for the season, a typical death blow for average teams. Chris Taylor has slid to short while the offense has seen significant contributions from “bench” players like Enrique Hernandez and Max Muncy.

That all said, the offense could certainly use a consistent second baseman and/or center fielder if the team could find such a player.

Clayton Kershaw has recently returned to the rotation, but the team has a definite need for someone alongside Kershaw, especially if they aren’t sure that top rookie Walker Buehler will be back to top form after fracturing a rib.

The bullpen was a source of domination in 2017 behind closer Kenley Jansen, but even Jansen hasn’t been exactly the same in 2018. After a stumble out of the gate, he’s back to his dominating ways, but his support staff could always use an upgrade, and the Dodgers definitely have the farm system to acquire any needs they might have.

Who they could target

The Dodgers were close on Zach Britton last season, and they could make a push this year for his services, though the need for a center fielder could make a bigger deal more interesting with Baltimore as center fielder Adam Jones heading to free agency along with Britton after the season.

While impending free-agent options in the outfield are not expansive, the selection of upcoming free agent second basemen is long, and one target that the Dodgers could focus on if his team decides to “sell” is Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier. The Twins also have solid starting pitching options to acquire in Lance Lynn and Ervin Santana that could be worked into a larger deal around Dozier as well.

Don’t be surprised to also hear of the Dodgers involved in big arms on the market like Cole Hamels, JA Happ, Brad Brach, Brad Ziegler, and Joakim Soria.

Now, to the first of two teams fighting to stay in the race at this time, starting with the Giants…

Next: San Francisco

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