Did Dodgers' latest bullpen injury just intensify team's need to trade for top reliever?

The universe giveth and the universe taketh away, and therefore the Dodgers bullpen can never be a complete entity. The back end of LA's relief corps has taken a lot of hits already this season, losing Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen during spring training, then Kyle Hurt and Ryan Brasier over the past few weeks.

Given the new, maddening volume of pitcher injuries, the initial strategy that the Dodgers had been using to make up for Graterol and Treinen's absences --optioning relievers and then calling up new replacements every 2-3 games -- has been rendered ineffective. They can't really afford to send Nabil Crismatt, Gus Varland, and JP Feyereisen back down to the minors now, especially in light of an injury for Evan Phillips, announced in the same breath as Treinen's return. (See? Giveth and taketh).

Phillips, still the most effective piece out of the Dodgers bullpen and their closer in every way except on paper, went onto the 15-day IL with a hamstring strain on Sunday, retroactive to Saturday, when he "got his spike caught in the grass playing catch."

When asked who would take over as closer, Dave Roberts just said, "We'll see."

Who will close for the Dodgers as Evan Phillips goes onto 15-day IL?

With Phillips and Graterol out, the Dodgers have lost two of their most effective closing arms. Michael Grove, Alex Vesia, Joe Kelly, and Daniel Hudson have all performed in the closer role at least once so far this season, but moving one of them into that role while Phillips is out seems dicey, given most of their struggles so far this season (Vesia is the exception; he's pitched pretty well over 16 innings so far). However, could the Dodgers finally, seriously look outside of the organization for not just a fill-in closer but an overall bullpen booster?

The Dodgers have been connected to their very own former closer Kenley Jansen since the offseason, when the Red Sox were doing anything they could to shed payroll. Rumors started up again recently, with Jon Heyman maintaining that LA could be a viable destination for Jansen. Crismatt changing his number to 70 from Jansen's usual 74 also fanned those flames.

Even if not Jansen, the Dodgers should heavily consider doing some shopping. Treinen's return on Sunday night featured a clean inning with a strikeout, but he's far from able to perform in closing situations after coming back from a two-year absence. It could be Jansen, it could be someone else — but the Dodgers need to get looking.