When the Los Angeles Dodgers already have a stacked roster, they just might be their most dangerous selves at the trade deadline.
LA could use rotation and bullpen help, and maybe even an extra utility player. But they don't need any of those things. There are other contenders who need at least one of them; in some cases multiple.
If the Dodgers wind up taking the best reliever who gets traded this year off the market, it will cause all sorts of consternation around the sport. Frankly, that might be the best reason for doing it.
And frankly, it's not as if acquiring St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley is a bad idea from a baseball perspective.
On Monday, Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut predicted that LA would indeed acquire Helsley to bolster their bullpen and give themselves a right-handed ninth-inning option to pair with lefty Tanner Scott.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers don’t necessarily need to make a move at the MLB trade deadline, not with all the talent they’ll have coming off the injured list in August. However, it’s always wise to fortify the bullpen," wrote Johnson.
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"The St. Louis Cardinals will likely be receptive to moving Ryan Helsley in a contract year, especially since re-signing him is unlikely. The 30-year-old (19 saves and 3.27 ERA) would provide Dodgers manager Dave Roberts with another late-inning option and would allow for Los Angeles to use its bullpen even more in October."
Helsley, the two-time National League All-Star, wasn't moved in the offseason, which some anticipated, and his Cardinals are on the periphery of the Wild Card picture. Still, it seems like the odds are slightly in favor of his next month's future being in another city.
Helsley could get a sizable contract at the end of the year, though he'll likely need to pitch a bit better down the stretch. But he still wouldn't likely complain about moving to more of a setup/occasional closer role if it meant a shot at a ring.
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