3 under-the-radar bullpen options for Dodgers to consider at trade deadline

While the 2022 trade deadline is shaping up to be one of the most hectic of all time, that’s kind of how you know it probably won’t be. Nothing ever lives up to that kind of hype.

So in the event everyone’s underwhelmed, Los Angeles Dodgers fans need to keep their eyes on some under-the-radar candidates Andrew Friedman might be forced to pursue should the top options either be too expensive or remain with their current teams.

The biggest area of need for the Dodgers is pitching of all kinds, but particularly the bullpen, where the losses of Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Victor Gonzalez and Tommy Kahnle have really put a strain on the current cast.

LA simply can’t keep trotting Phil Bickford out there with his 5.68 ERA. Craig Kimbrel isn’t the closer everyone thought he might be. Alex Vesia has taken a step back. Though Yency Almonte and Evan Phillips have taken pleasant, unexpected leaps, that won’t be enough to lead the charge through October.

Some of the aforementioned injured players will eventually return, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be as effective as they once were. The Dodgers need as much insurance as they can get because … is David Price actually going to be relied upon as the stakes get higher? Hope not!

3 under-the-radar relievers Dodgers could target at trade deadline

3. Tanner Scott

First up, a lefty! The Dodgers need another one, and perhaps they might view Marlins closer (?) Tanner Scott has a viable (and quick) reclamation project. Scott’s ERA (4.32) and WHIP (1.42) are unsightly, but he’s got 13 saves, 59 strikeouts in 41.2 innings, and a 3.46 FIP. Maybe things aren’t so bad!

Then you peek at the advanced metrics and, oh man, this has “Dodgers” written all over it. You thought Andrew Heaney’s peripherals revealed room for improvement? Scott’s Baseball Savant Page is mostly all bright red, with the exception of walk percentage (2nd percentile!). Every other important metric (average exit velocity, hard hit percentage, expected batting average, expected slugging, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage and fastball spin) are all among the best in the league.

Don’t you forget about Scott’s shortened 2020 season, which was essentially his breakout (1.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP in 25 games). Something’s there. Scott could be had for very little and could be “untapped” relatively quickly under the Dodgers’ tutelage.

1. Scott Barlow

Here’s an intriguing option. The Royals are bad and have plenty of assets to sell … but is righty reliever Scott Barlow one of them? He’s been dominant this year after a breakout 2021, which will no longer make him a cost-effective option for a small market like Kansas City.

Barlow is making $2.4 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility, a number that will continue to increase beyond the Royals’ comfort level if he continues to pitch well (he’s already going to make considerably more than that in 2023).

Enter the Dodgers, who can absorb the cost, which might not make Barlow as expensive as he should be. The slider-heavy 29-year-old owns a 1.93 ERA, 3.55 FIP and 0.93 WHIP with 45 strikeouts in 46.2 innings of work this year. He’s limiting hard contact and gets a ton of outs via the ground ball (in fact, a career high at 46.3% for inducing grounders).

Depending on the Royals’ asking price, this could be a prudent investment for LA, giving them a potential elite bullpen arm for 2.5 years. Throw in Barlow’s 16 saves, and hell, he could replace Kimbrel here and there! With a surplus of a lot of things in the farm system, the Dodgers could afford to part with some promising talent to fortify the bullpen for multiple seasons, since the front office will also have a lot of work to do for 2023 and 2024 in this department.

Ranking Dodgers’ rumored trade targets ahead of Aug. 2 deadline

The Los Angeles Dodgers are believed to be big players at the MLB trade deadline, and here's who they've been connected to thus far.