Dodgers: 3 bullpen arms LAD should trade for as soon as possible

2. Ian Kennedy

The Dodgers really missed their chance to see Kennedy in action recently, but the Texas reliever’s resume speaks for itself.

In 22 games, Kennedy boasts a 2.82 ERA, but like the plot of those TV infomercials, that’s not all. He recently made headlines for being the early AL saves leader and has so far racked up 12 in total. Though he’s spent most of his career as a starter, ever since he converted to relief work in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals, he’s never looked back. In his first season as a reliever, his average four-seam fastball velocity increased by nearly three mph (91.9 to 94.4), according to Statcast. The same goes for his cutter (87.7 to 91.4 mph). The guy was built to close games, posting a 3.41 ERA and 30 saves in 63 games in 2019.

These days, Kennedy can strike batters out more often and throw his best stuff in fewer innings. It’s almost as if he found the cheat code for his baseball form, and his unique skill set is the kind that can win championships. Cue the Dodgers. Their bullpen would be incredibly buoyed with a shutdown arm like Kennedy, and all of that musical chair nonsense would finally be done with. In Ian Kennedy, the Dodgers have a true championship closer. They just need to go for it.