Dodgers: Reliever trade targets that would bolster LA's bullpen

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SAN DIEGO, CA – SEPTEMBER 24: Kenta Maeda #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated by Will Smith #16 as Dave Roberts #30 look on after pitching during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park September 24, 2019 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

The Winter Meetings begin next week and one of the areas the Dodgers need to improve in is their bullpen. Here are some trade candidates to bolster LA’s pen.

The hot stove is now in full effect with Cole Hamels and Zack Wheeler the latest players finding new homes. Andrew Friedman and the rest of the top baseball executives around the league will head down to the Winter Meetings this weekend which will officially kick off on Monday. If the recent days are any indication, there should be plenty of moves made next week.

One of the items on Friedman’s agenda should be to bolster the Dodger bullpen. Kenley Jansen returns as closer although he is coming off the worst season of his career. Joe Kelly also had a rollercoaster season so the Dodgers need another big arm at the back end of their bullpen. Here are a few candidates that could be available on the trade market, and would be worth a trade inquiry.

Brad Hand

Brad Hand is a closer who has been linked to the Dodgers in trade rumors before and seems to be in the same rumors every season. He has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball over the last three seasons going 87-104 in save opportunities. Hand has held right-handed batters to a .229 average over the last three seasons and has been even better against left-handed batters limiting them to a .163 average against.

Contractually speaking, Brad Hand is owed just $7 million in 2020 and has a club option for 2021 that is a reasonable $10 million. Acquiring Brad Hand would cost the Dodgers just $17 million over the next two seasons, which is less than Kenley Jansen will make in 2020. If the Indians are serious about trading Francisco Lindor and kicking off a rebuild, Brad Hand is likely the next big name they will look to move.

Alex Colome

Colome is a former Tampa Bay Ray like Andrew Friedman so there would be no scouting report necessary to know what the Dodgers would get in him. The White Sox are rumored to be talking Joc Pederson with the Dodgers and Colome makes $10.3 million in 2020 and will be a free agent after next season. Due to his salary and contract length, he could match up well with Joc Pederson in a potential deal.

One concern with Colome is that he throws a cutter over 60% of the time and that may be too many cutter throwing relievers at the end of games. Regardless of that, Alex Colome had a very good 2019 season with nearly identical splits on his average against. Lefties hit .190 against Colome while right-handed batters hit just .192. He converted 30 of 33 save opportunities this year and would give LA a true backup plan if Jansen’s struggles continue.

Josh Hader

The Milwaukee Brewers are going through a re-tooling of sorts and are rumored to be listening to offers for Josh Hader. Everyone knows what happened with Josh Hader and the things he tweeted out were downright awful. That said, that was many years ago and Hader has owned up to his actions and made no excuses. He would be a big-time addition to the Dodger bullpen if the Dodgers were able to swing a deal for him.

Hader is projected to earn just $4.6 million for 2020 so he would be a bargain for a reliever of his ability. While he had a rough Wild Card game outing, he still had a very good season despite blowing seven of his 44 save opportunities. He held opposing batters to a .155 average and averaged sixteen strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

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Josh Hader would replace the role that Julio Urias pitched out of last season since Urias is going to start next season in the rotation. As the Dodgers have seen firsthand in the postseason, Hader changes the dynamic of games and his ability to lock down a lineup for multiple innings at a time would be huge for a team that resorted to using Clayton Kershaw as a setup reliever in this year’s NLDS.

The cost to acquire Hader in terms of prospects would likely be pretty big given that Josh is under arbitration through the 2023 season. While it remains to be seen how serious the Brewers are in trading Hader, it should be an inquiry that Andrew Friedman makes at the Winter Meetings. That would be one way to shore up multiple innings of relief help in a potential postseason game.

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These are just some relievers that could be available in trades but they are relievers that would definitely help bolster the Dodger bullpen. If there is one thing about Andrew Friedman, he always finds under the radar relievers like Dylan Floro and Adam Kolarek. This winter might be the time for him to trade for a big name reliever.

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