Report: Dodgers confident they will acquire top starting pitcher
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned in trade rumors surrounding many starting pitchers, and it sounds like they will end up with one of them.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the Dodgers are confident they will end up acquiring one of the top-end starting pitchers prior to the trade deadline.
Sources: #Dodgers increasingly confident they will acquire 1 of Yu Darvish, Sonny Gray or Justin Verlander by Monday. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 27, 2017
The Dodgers are the team most often linked with Yu Darvish, whom the Texas Rangers are reportedly open to dealing. Darvish will be a free agent after the season and is coming off the worst start of his MLB career. But he has ace potential and could be a great right-handed complement to Clayton Kershaw in the postseason.
Sonny Gray is on the block in Oakland and should command a haul. He is still under team control through 2019. The Yankees, Mariners, Brewers and Nationals have been linked to him, among many other teams.
Justin Verlander is an interesting case. He is having a below average season, aging, and under $60 million through 2019. Still, he was a Cy Young contender last year and carries big name value. If the Tigers agree to pick up a big chunk of his contract, he could be an attractive acquisition.
The Dodgers’ need for another pitcher is somewhat greater with Kershaw out because of a back injury.
