The Los Angeles Dodgers are always aggressive at the trade deadline, and this season, they have the luxury of already owning baseball's best overall roster.
Sure, maybe the rotation is more banged up than the Dodgers might like, and starting third baseman Max Muncy is on the shelf due to a bone bruise in his knee. But where other teams have to make big moves at the deadline, it's more of a "nice to have" for the Dodgers.
If LA has a weakness, it's their occasional ninth-inning meltdown. There are a lot of could-be closers on the roster, but no one has truly seized the opportunity this season, and there's every chance they could add one more option.
One baseball writer thinks Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks might be that option.
In a recent article, Dave Holcomb of Fantasy Sports on SI proposed a deal that would bring Fairbanks to the Dodgers while shipping pitching prospect Peter Heubeck back to Tampa Bay.
"In Fairbanks, the Dodgers would be getting another high-leverage reliever. Los Angeles would also have the option to have Fairbanks on its 2026 roster," Holcomb wrote.
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"With that team option, it wouldn't be surprising if the Rays requested another prospect be included in the deal. Fairbanks will likely help the Dodgers push for another title in 2026 and next year."
Fairbanks has taken some bumps and bruises lately, including a walk-off home run at Fenway Park on Friday night, but his 2.75 season ERA and 15-for-18 save clip are more than respectable. In LA, he'd probably slot in as more of a setup man in front of Tanner Scott.
But having options for the ninth inning is huge, and Fairbanks would probably see a few save opportunities here and there as a Dodger as well. It all depends on whether the Rays are willing to sell a piece while competing for the playoffs.
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