Tight races for Wild Card Games in both leagues have essentially neutralized the expected flurry of activity with MLB opting for a singular trade deadline this season. It’s inhibited clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers from potentially completing deals as 1 p.m. on July 31 draws closer.
By all accounts the Dodgers are in the market for at least one relief pitcher. Though, their first move came Thursday in a trade to acquire first baseman Tyler White from the Houston Astros in exchange for Andre Scrubb.
All the while, the Dodgers have been linked to multiple San Francisco Giants relievers, Cleveland Indians All-Star Brad Hand and Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, among others.
According to Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times, the Dodgers additionally would have interest in Amir Garrett should the Cincinnati Reds become sellers as a result of their slide:
The Cincinnati Reds have fallen eight games out of the wild-card race, a slide that could make left-hander Amir Garrett available. Garrett has a 1.85 ERA in 45 appearances, and the Dodgers have interest.
Garrett struggled as a rookie starter for the Reds in 2017, was improved pitching out of the bullpen last season, and has become a stellar option this year. His 1.85 ERA is on track to be a career-best mark and so too is Garrett’s 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Garrett is not as heralded on a national level as Hand or Vazquez, but he is under team control through the 2023 season. That presumably would require the Dodgers to still part with significant prospect capital in a trade.
Cincinnati is mired in a 4-6 stretch and as a result fallen eight games back both of first place in the National League Central and the Wild Card Game.
The Dodgers and Reds last aligned on a trade earlier this month, as L.A. dealt Minor League relief pitcher Justin Grimm in exchange for cash considerations. Over the winter, the Dodgers traded Kyle Farmer, Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood and cash to the Reds for Homer Bailey and prospects Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs.
In December 2015, the Dodgers and Reds were part of a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers received Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson; the Reds acquired Brandon Dixon, Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler; and the White Sox landed Todd Frazier.
