The Los Angeles Dodgers are being viewed as a strong fit for Aroldis Chapman as the trade deadline approaches, with Boston expected to move the left-hander.
Boston’s deadline plans remain the big question, but the Red Sox are widely expected to do something. That could mean buying, selling, or landing somewhere in the middle. Chapman, though, looks like one of the clearest candidates to be dealt.
Chris Landers noted that a move could happen even if Boston decides not to fully sell.
“Boston has suddenly started looking more like the team we expected all year, and while they dug themselves quite a hole to climb out of, they're now just four games out of the final Wild Card spot in the AL.
“But I think a Chapman trade might be in the cards regardless of whether Craig Breslow decides to buy or sell: He'll be a free agent this winter, and the Red Sox bullpen should be okay without him, allowing the team to patch holes elsewhere without pulling the plug on what could still be a meaningful season. And given the dearth of other relief options available, the offers should be substantial,” Chris Landers wrote.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, continue to search for bullpen help. After building a strong roster over the past year or so, they’ve also had stretches interrupted by injuries, and that has to be part of the equation at the deadline.
Chapman would not come cheap in a trade, but Los Angeles is chasing a World Series and aiming to go back-to-back-to-back. For Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers, that kind of price may be worth paying.
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