Dodgers Rumors: LA linked to Twins starter and Cardinals closer amid injury woes

With just a month and some change into the regular season, the Dodgers already have 12 pitchers on the IL. The majority of them were always going to start the year there, but three — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Treinen — have joined in-season to deal a heavy blow to the Dodgers' pitching staff. LA's highly-touted pitching depth was exposed as being perhaps a little too highly-touted after Justin Wrobleski, Landon Knack, and Bobby Miller all flopped in their initial turns in the rotation, and there are no clear timelines on a majority of the injured pitchers. It's no surprise, then, that the Dodgers have already come up in early rumors, or at least loose associations, around pitchers who could be available via trade.

FanSided insider Robert Murray named the Dodgers (alongside the Cubs) as a team to watch in potential conversations with the Twins about righty veteran starter Pablo López. López has enjoyed a nice first five starts through April 30, sporting a 2.25 ERA. Although he's already spent time on the 15-day IL with a hamstring strain, he came back as soon as those 15 days were up.

"If López is made available at the deadline, and that possibility is very real with the Twins sliding, there will be plenty of teams competing for his services," Murray wrote. "But the Cubs and Dodgers stand out as early possibilities for the star right-hander."

Dodgers Rumors: Twins starter Pablo López, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley connected to LA

Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley is also already emerging as one of the biggest names to watch before the trade deadline. The Cardinals are still playing middling baseball — unsurprising, given their lack of action this offseason — and could look to shed even more payroll by shopping Helsley, owed $8.2 million this season.

Bob Nightengale was the first to name Helsley as a potential hot commodity at the deadline, specifically naming the Diamondbacks and Phillies as teams to watch, but Jon Heyman threw the Dodgers in the mix as well.

Tanner Scott is the Dodgers' closer this season, and there are at least two more pitchers in the bullpen capable of doing the same job (Kirby Yates and Evan Phillips), but the Dodgers have enjoyed using their relievers every which way, and Treinen and Michael Kopech recently went to the 60-day IL. Having closer bloat in the bullpen might be a little bit of overkill, but no one has ever accused the Dodgers of moderation.