As the MLB trade deadline approached, there was plenty of talk whether the Dodgers would get much needed bullpen help.
First it was the Washington Nationals adding three pieces to their bullpen. Then there was the Atlanta Braves. The MLB world still waited for the Dodgers to do something big. It never happened.
The Dodgers deadline pick up was left-hander Adam Kolarek. Though Kolarek has good numbers, he isn’t exactly who Dodgers fans thought they would get. President of Baseball Operations, Andrew Friedman, thinks LA did enough at the deadline. ”We feel we’ve got a team and depth in place to win a championship.” (LA Times)
To second guess Friedman is to second guess the architect of a team that’s gone to back to back World Series. The World Series appearances are part of the problem. After losing both of them, inevitably there is talk about the Dodgers “window”. Some think they need to sell the farm, literally and figuratively, to win the World Series.
There is belief among the organization that they have internal answers to the bullpen problem. Kenta Maeda, Julio Urias and Ross Stripling haven’t been the answers in the past but maybe that changes this season. And, we haven’t even gotten to the elephant in the room, Kenley Jansen. In July, Jansen pitched eight innings and gave up five runs. He isn’t the automatic “close the show” pitcher he once was. The once reliable Jansen has given up six home runs this season and has blown four saves. As a team, the Dodgers have blown the fifth most saves in the National League.
In the end, Friedman didn’t want to give up prize prospects like Gavin Lux, for a short term fix. Not even if it meant getting Pittsburgh Pirates closer, Felipe Vazquez. The Pirate closer could’ve set up Jansen or closed games for Los Angeles when need be. Instead there is talk that the Dodgers will give minor leagues Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin a chance. Los Angeles got a glimpse of what Gonsolin can do out of the bullpen with a four inning-one run performance against Colorado.
But the question is, will it be enough? The Dodgers aren’t the Minnesota Twins. It isn’t enough to be the nice story that makes the playoffs and loses on the way to the World Series. The Dodgers are in “all or nothing” mode.
Sometimes doing nothing at the trade deadline is the best move a team can make. Time will tell if that was the right move for the Dodgers.
“Now we’ve got to figure out the right combination of guys and we’ve got two months and lot of really talented arms,” said Friedman. You sure do. The season depends on it.
