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Dodgers: The great trade deadline dilemma of 2019

By Nate Eckert

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 22: Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, walks on the field before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 22: Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, walks on the field before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on May 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – JULY 25: Felipe Vazquez #73 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park on July 25, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers’ Weakness

One moderately important issue that loomed large for Dodgers’ brass was, of course, the bullpen. With the best starting rotation in Major League Baseball, Dodger fans and players alike are rightfully concerned with losing games late and blowing leads.

More specifically, the Dodgers acquired lefty specialist Adam Kolarek at the trade deadline which was the only reliever they added.  The club needed left-handed relief after Caleb Ferguson was optioned to AAA and Scott Alexander was transferred over to the 60 day IL.

Of course, Julio Urias is a frontrunner for late-inning work down the stretch. However, as most MLB fans know, not everything is certain.  So it’s fair to assume that Dodger fans wanted another lefty reliever and (of course) an elite one.

Felipe Vazquez

Arguably the best left-handed reliever in baseball short of Aroldis Chapman is Felipe Vazquez of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Vazquez represented a token of near certainty for the backend of the Dodgers’ bullpen.

In the eyes of Dodgers fans, execs, and anyone within ear-shot of the heavily reported rumors, the acquisition of Felipe Vazquez would virtually guarantee the Dodgers a World Series trophy.

Amongst those within ear-shot, none other than the Pittsburgh Pirates. They made it their organization’s mission to charge whoever wanted Vazquez an arm, leg, and who knows what else,  for what nearly everyone already envisioned: the World Series Championship.

Gavin Lux, aka left-handed-hitting Superman, was, without question, the very thing the Pirates had their black hearts set on.

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