The Los Angeles Dodgers are active on many fronts. They just hired a new manager and rumors suggest they're expected to be active in both free agency and on the trade market. Aroldis Chapman is the latest player that has piqued their interest.
Darren O'Day was said to be on their radar last week. The right-hander has been among the best relievers in the MLB, having maintained a 1.92 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over the past four seasons (273 games) with the Baltimore Orioles. He's seeking a three- to four-year deal in the $28 million - $36 million range and a team such as the Dodgers could easily pay that.
Could O'Day and Chapman join the Dodgers' bullpen when all is said and done?
"The Dodgers thus far have been connected mostly to setup man extraordinaire Darren O'Day among the bullpen arms, but they've cast a wide net in their search for relief help, and are also considering closers, even the game's most dynamic bullpen arm, Aroldis Chapman," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
O'Day will be a much easier haul because the Dodgers can simply be the highest bidders in free agency to win his services. On the other hand, Chapman will cost nearly $13 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility in addition to young prospects in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. There are also a number of other clubs interested in Chapman, so there will be competition on the trade market.
"There are still plenty of teams who need that bullpen ace," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "The Astros, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Rangers, and others could be in the hunt for Chapman. The Diamondbacks made a big push at the trade deadline but came up short.
"The Reds listened to Boston's pitch for Chapman but required more than the Red Sox offered for Kimbrel, and the Sox weren't comfortable going the extra mile for a pitcher who can become a free agent after 2016."
Los Angeles ranked 19th in bullpen ERA (3.91) and 20th in opponents' batting average (.249), so there's clearly a need for an upgrade. The Dodgers' front office is heavily focused on analytics and the strikeout-to-walk ratios of both O'Day (3.88) and Chapman (3.52) are likely of interest to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi.
Money isn't an issue for the Dodgers, but it's been said the Reds want MLB-ready talent in return for Chapman, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. Los Angeles was hesitant to deal top prospects before the trade deadline in exchange for an established starter, so it's hard to believe they'll do that for a closer that will be a free agent after 2016.
Nonetheless, the Reds are hoping to get a deal done in the very near future, which means they might have to take the best offer on the table if they wish to get value for Chapman before the 2016 season starts. It's safe to assume the Reds want to be relieved of Chapman's hefty annual salary as soon as possible.
"We've been talking to clubs, but I don't think there's anything that's close," Reds president of baseball operations told C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer regarding a trade involving Chapman. "Hopefully we get something done with somebody before the Winter Meetings. We'd like to get moving on some things."
If nothing gets done before then, trade rumors should be plentiful at the Winter Meetings (Dec. 6-10). Just know that the Dodgers have both the financial and personnel resources to acquire Chapman and are perhaps in better position than any of the others interested in making a trade for him.
