Dodger Talk (7-29-24)

chase them in the Division. Six and a half games back with two months to play, Our phone lines are wide open and a lot to get to here over the next hour, Dodger fans eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy Tomorrow at three o'clock Pacific, the Major League Baseball trade deadline will come and go, and their teams around baseball right now jocking for position, trying to figure out where they fall in the wild card races,

where they fall in divisional races.

A year ago, sent down to Triple A, started the season with this Dodgers team, spent time in Triple A this year at ok See, and it really just felt like there wasn't a place every day for Miguel Vargas in this lineup, outfielder, third basement. He was the second baseman for the first half of the year last year.

What was he an outfielder? Infielder? Where did he fit as far as this puzzle of this Dodgers team, And they just didn't feel like there was an everyday spot for Miguel Vargas, who when he did play, played well and played good for this Dodgers team. But in order to get you have to give. And the Dodgers get

utility player Tommy Edmond, who is from San Diego. His dad is the head coach at Tory Pines Country Day High School down there in San Diego County, went to Stanford, has been in the big leagues for a few years now, can play the middle infield, can play third base, and can play some outfield. They also acquired right handed reliever

Michael Kopek and a minor leaguer in Oliver Gonzalez. Now, in order to get the reliever Kopek and to get Tommy Edmund, the Dodgers say goodbye to Miguel Vargas and two prospects, Alexander Albertis and Gerald Perez, who both get dealt away to top twenty three prospects for this Dodgers minor league farm system. That is absolutely so. On paper, I think it's a good deal for the Dodgers. It's not a blockbuster trade. It is not a deadline deal where you say, wow, look at what this Dodgers team

did to get ready for the playoff push. There's still a chance that the Dodgers go out and make a deal for a frontline starting pitcher. But on this paper, this trade is good. You get a Tommy Edmond who can play multiple positions, and you get a Michael Kopek who can still throw upper nineties. And if they can tinker with his mechanics, this pitching staff, Mark pryor the pitching coach, maybe they could unlock something to get him back to being a high leverage reliever and an elite

reliever for this Dodgers team. He was a starter for so many years, transition into a reliever a closer for the Chicago White Sox and it has been okay, just hasn't been great. And you also hope that maybe leaving Chicago and the South Side in particular the White Sox, who just going into this season really knew they ain't wen't going to be contenders in the division, weren't going

to be making the playoffs at all. They're going through a rebuild, and now they're going through a just knock it down to the studs, we're gonna start this whole thing over again rebuild with the trades they're making. Now, he didn't fit into their plans. But by acquiring Tommy Edmond, you get a utility player who can play multiple positions, and that's what the Dodgers need right now when he gets healthy. Because the topper on this is he hasn't

played this year Tommy Edmund. Tommy Edmonds had a wrist surgery in the offseason, has been bothered by spray ankle. He's been in the minor leagues a couple of weeks on a minor league rehab assignment in Double A, but hopes to be ready here shortly. So he hasn't played in twenty four So you'll get a fresh Tommy Edmond that can play multiple positions in a Michael Kopek who you hope can be a back end, high leverage reliever

in the Dodgers' bullpen. Now, about an hour and a half ago, the Dodgers made it official, which we have been hearing shortly before that that the Dodgers were working on yet another trade, and they bring back a med Rosario. Yes, the twenty eight year old do it all utility player, can play outfield, can play in field, can hit wherever you like for him in the lineup, hitting three zero seven on the season, just two home runs, twenty six

ribies in seventy six games for the race. So he's been hurt, hitting three to sixteen against left he's hitting over three hundred against right handers. He can produce, and the Dodgers saw it a year ago when they acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians at the trade deadline, and he spent the last two and a half months in Dodger Blue. So they get back Ahmed Rosario, who's now been in the big league's eight years. You know what you get from him, You know what he can do

for you. You acquire Tommy Edmond and you get Michael Kopek.

Ray in about sixty seven and a third innings. My opinion, Ryan Yarborough in twenty twenty four, he's pitched a lot of innings and you needed more of a fresh arm to come out of the bullpen and help. And they'll bring Michael Kopek in. They're gonna get back Bruce dr Gerol Michael Grove is on the horizon, so you're gonna get some fresh arms. To me, Ryan Yarborough helped out this Dodgers team a lot. Sixty seven and the third innings is a lot for a Ryan Yarborough, now I

get it. He goes out and pitches bulk innings for this Dodgers team and has done so as an opener, bulkeeting guy, reliever in two or three days in a row. He's done it at all and he's done everything they asked him to do in eating up innings this year so far in twenty twenty four. So a tip of the cap for Ryan Yarborough for being asked to go out there and eat up out, go out there, get innings, get the Dodgers through a ballpaenning game. He did all that,

but he gets designated for assignment. So the Dodgers busy today adding three players to the roster. Miguel Vargas traded away, Ryan Yarborough designated for assignment. A couple more quick reactions to this, and David Vasse, who is with the Dodger team and is off tonight. He'll join us at the bottom of the hour with more on this, because the Dodgers may not be done tonight, and certainly we'll keep an eye on what they do between now and three

pm Pacific tomorrow. Yeah, Tommy Edmund and Amed Rosario aren't Wow players. They aren't those impact players. I know a lot of you right now are hitting their stein wheel, are at home going gosh. These are a role players. These are guys that are gonna help you know, Phil Gaps or eat up innings or coming out of the bullpen. Yeah, but these are guys you need on a twenty six man roster because right now you've got a third base spot that's unclear. You've got a short stop spot with

both Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts hurt. You've got an outfield situation in which really the only consistent production you're getting is from Taoscar Hernandez. Yeah, we've seen James Altman and Spurts. Sure, we've seen Andy Pajes catch fire at times. Jason Hayward, it's been up and down. He's been hurt as well at the back, But consistently, tay Oscar Hernandez has been the only outfielder that has helped out this Dodgers team and then line up producing. So you're now

getting Tommy Edmond who can play multiple positions. Amed Rosario, who can play multiple positions. David Vasse tweeted it out earlier. A met Rosario when the Dodgers got him a year ago. Second base shortstop is primarily where we saw him fill in. Remember Gavin Lux was out a year ago. A met Rosario this year's played three different spots, twelve games at shortstop,

fourteen games at the third base. Okay, that's what he did with the Dodgers last year, but he also has played more games twenty in right field, and he's hitting over three hundred. He's got an OPS over seven point fifty. He fills in need multiple needs. Can play shortstop, can play second base, he can slide over to third, can play right field. Same with Tommy Edmund. These are needs right now. And while they're not sexy, big name players, they're major leaguers who are gonna come in and help

out this twenty six man roster. Add depth to this twenty six man roster, David Vassa will join us coming up in about twelve fifteen to twenty minutes. He said it earlier today on the station. He'll say it again, I'm sure, and it's worth repeating. The Dodgers this past

offseason brought in more stars. The Dodgers that the trade deadline are filling in around those stars, and hopefully, hopefully, because of injury and the unknown to Yamamoto, maybe are gonna go out and get a big time front end of the rotation arm to help him out in September and October. But win healthy when Mookie Betts is back, when Miguel Rojas is back, when the outfield is healthy, when this team is you know right, and it hasn't been a lot to season. We've seen everybody in the

lineup altogether. It feels like the Lakers, doesn't it, Dodger fans. It feels like the Lakers.

with the injuries to Rojas and Bets at shortstop. They're gonna help fill needs. And when everybody comes back. Now you have depth on the bench for this Dodgers team with Edmund and Rosario. So it helps out a lot for this Dodgers team to get these trades today done and bring in these type of players. So again, they're not gonna be wild trades today. They weren't, but they filled needs. And if you've been with us, or you're following the Dodgers, or you're you're you're trying to check

the boxes of what they needed to trade deadline. We've been talking about it, have we not. We've been conversing for the last two months. Looks like they made need another arm of the bullpen to help out check well, it looks like they may need some more depth. You know, Mookie Betts had a slive over the shortstop. We got some outfield issues, some inconsistencies as far as production. We don't really get that every day in center field check check you get Edmond who can play in the outfield?

Do you get now Rosario who could play the outfield and play up the middle. You're checking off boxes that you need.

a lot of teams. He's one of the hot commodities, well, the hot pitchers that everybody wants. Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, Orioles, Mariners have been sniffing around Padres.

And that completely caught White Sox GM. Chris gets off guard. And today before the White Sox game, in the dugout, listen to this. This is the general manager of the Chicago White Sox. Chris gets reacting to his star pitcher, Garrett Crochet and the agent making this demand for a new contract.

everyone accomplished what they wanted to accomplish. So, you know, but I you know, Garrett's a uh, you know, very talented arm and he's just getting his his starting career going.

they have to get the most for Garrett Croche. Now we don't care about that as Dodger fans, right, but keep in mind, Garrett Crochet has already thrown a career high one hundred and fourteen innings this year. Last year he pitched twelve innings coming off with Tommy John surgery. So he's a year removed. He's already had a career high.

His agent wants more money and a new deal. You've only now tied the hands I believe of Chris Gets, the general manager of the White Sox, who now says he's disappointed the way their tactics and letting other teams know that.

one in negotiations controlling everything. I don't think so. If you're a Dodger fan and you're hearing a guy that Garrett Crose Crochet say yeah, yeah, that's cool, I'll accept the trade because he can't not turn it down. He's got no he doesn't have no trade claws. He's still under his rookie deal. But but I may shut it down. You know, I've I've hit my max on the Indians. Yeah, you know what, I want to be a starter. Don't put me the bullpen to help you know the Innians

stay low. No, no, no, no, no, give me an extension if you're gonna trade me to a contender, no, you don't control this agent and Garrett Crochet if he gets dealt the White Sox and whatever team he deals with and making a trade, or give me the one in control. If you think calling out before the trade, donline by saying well, he may sit out, he may rest wink wink the rest of the season, because he's already at one.

the bullpen. I want a contract extension, and if you don't do that, I may just shut it down. I may just rest, you know, come on, you are not in control here, Garrett Crochet and Chris Gets. So maybe Garrett Crochet is completely off the board. And if it is, and this is truly what's happening with behind the scenes, and it sounds like it is, because the gm today was very honest and talking to the media. You just

heard the comments. That's pretty remarkable for an agent and a player knowing that they're the number one target of all these teams, to all of a sudden started making these demands. Tarren Scrubel is still out there, Tanner Scott's still out there. Even an Austin Gomber Griffin Canning is available from the Angels still out there. These are names

you're starting to see being talked about more. Not necessarily the big front of the line arms that we've all been talking about, but Jack Flaherty's rumored to be going to the Yankees. They're sniffing around Blake Snell. Blake Snell quite frankly, been fantastic. But there's no way the Giants trade with the Dodgers. Tyler Anderson possibility, Chris Bassett. The Blue Jays look like they're dumping, not only looking like it, they are dump. Justin Turner gets traded to the Maritors.

So there's the option still out there. But I'm I'm not convinced that if Garrick Oshe is gonna start making these demands, he's necessarily a guy one on this Dodgers team here in twenty twenty four. Yeah, you're having a great year, but these are some hefty demands and words you're thrown around as far as resting if you don't get what you want. Eight six, six nine, eight seven, two five seventy. The Dodgers have made some moves. We'll get to your phone calls. We'll hear from David Vassay.

Anything else coming out tonight for the Dodgers. If anybody knows it's David Vassay. We'll keep an eye on what the Dodgers are doing at the deadline, what other moves they could be making, how these pieces fit into this Dodgers team. In case you missed it, Dodgers are making a couple of deals today adding to the roster. Ryan Yarborough gets designated for an assignment. Big day for the

Dodgers could be even bigger tonight or tomorrow. Still time until three o'clock eight sixty six, nine eighty seven two, five seventy is our number. Off Night Dodger Talk Dodgers in San Diego tomorrow to take on the Padres a lot more. Will we come back right on M five seventy LA Sports Live Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Off Night Dodger Talk continues here on M five seventy LA Sports Live Everywhere on the iheartra Radio app. Tim kates

with you until the top of the hour. David Vesse is gonna check in from San Diego the very latest song What the Dodgers may or may not be doing here in the night before the MLB trade deadline. They do reacquire Amed Rosario from the Tampa Bay Rays. They acquired him last year from the Cleveland Guardian. To the trade deadline, they also pick up Tommy edmund Is switch hitteror who's played second base, third base, shortst off, all

three outfield spots in his career. Won a Gold Glove in twenty twenty one at second base with the Saint Louis Cardinals. Has not played in the game this year because of an ankle injury offseason risk surgery. He's been in Double A rehabbing, so he will join the team Michael Kopek will join the Dodgers as well in San Diego. He is a hard throwing reliever that the Dodgers pick up and will help in the pen, no doubt about that.

Hopefully they can get back Michael Kopek to the form that he was when he was a really good starter a couple of years ago, but has since moved to the bullpen. They do give up Miguel Vargas and two prospects in the three way trade with the White Sox and the Saint Louis Cardinals. Let's go out to the phones. Let's go to Richard in Coconut Creek. Flora joins us here on Dodger Talk on a five to seventy.

You bring in Phillips who hasn't pitched well in almost a month, and he doesn't pitch well again, What a shock. I just can't get over it. I mean, we need a manager who goes by the eye test, not by looking at a computer and taking him out without noticing the guy is pitching an absolutely brilliant game and deserves to finish the inning.

with the Tampa Bay Rays. Why a met Rozari.

is no injury showing in Monthsey's opleaque anymore. And the Dodgers seem to be a little bit impatient waiting for Monthly to decide that he's ready to play. So they needed a better option at third base or part of the equation at third base, to cover themselves because Monsey really has put them in a really bad spot, and Dodger third basemen are among the worst in baseball right now. So that's part of the reason why.

his Dodger debut. At the very latest, it seems like he'll make his Dodger debut when they return home from this road trip that takes them from San Diego to Oakland, So he's on the verge of returning and look. Dodger defense in center field has been a lackluster. Andy Pa has has not looked great out there. James Outman has been disappointing with his regression. So Tommy Edmond gives them a stabilizing force out there in center field and also as a switch hitter and gives them a left and

right handed bat. And I know your callers and are callers call in almost on a nightly basis talking about the bottom third of the order, talking about strikeouts. The Dodgers struck out a ton of times in Houston. Tommy Edmond's a contact hitter, so he's going to put the ball in play. So I know these are not headline grabbing trades. But the Dodgers already had three MVPs that they were having their lineup in August or at some point in time in August. They have five or six

All stars on their team. They did not need more superstars. You obviously would not say no to that, But I felt like they needed their role players to start acting role players. And Tommy Edman is the epitomy of that.

no earned runs, no runs given up at all. But it don't have every so often he'll have, like once a month, a game of which he just implodes and gives him four or five runs.

But the strikes have been a problem. And Connor McGinnis, the Dodgers pitching coach, he's been a magician at time, fixing guys that we've never heard of, or making pictures that have been on their last leg and major League baseball, last chance in Major League Baseball and turning them into something. His latest success story is Anthony Banda. So if anybody can get Michael Kolpak back on the train tracks, it's Connor McGinnis.

So I would say, do not rule out Garrett Crochet.

They feel completely blindsided by this, And maybe it's just Garrett Crochet trying to get some leverage, but it's not gonna sit well with any clubhouse for this guy demand well, I may sit and rest the rest of the year if I go to a team or don't go to a team because of a new contract.

Not sure where all this fandom is coming from lately.

Tuesday and Wednesday. Day off Thursday, and then they head to Oakland Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in what is the final ever trip for the Dodgers to the Oakland Memorial County Coliseum whatever they're calling it now up there as the A's are scheduled to move to Sacramento for a few years while the new stadium in Las Vegas gets built in twenty twenty eight, so it'll be the last trip at least for now that is scheduled, assuming something doesn't change and they don't move to Sacramento for the

next couple of years. The last trip ever, I mean, think about the nineteen eighty eight World Series and the Dodgers winning up there and Rick Dimsey running out and grabbing Oral Herscheizer with his hands up and the Dodgers went in a World Series. Last time ever, the Dodgers will step foot in that stadium. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy. We'll take a quick time out, we'll come back. We'll get to your phone calls. If you're on hold, we'll get to you. You and you Izzy,

I see you. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy. Dodgers making a couple of trades today. Are they done? What would you like to see between now in three pm tomorrow it's the deadline. The Dodgers. What are they gonna do? They're already in first play, six and a half game lead, but they're looking to get better.

What does Andrew Freeman have up his sleeve? We'll find out together your phone calls next here on off Night you talk on an FI seventy LA Sports Live Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app Off.

a med Rosario again at the trade deadline. Last year, they acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians They re acquire him today from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a minor leaguer, Tommy Edmond, part of a three way deal eight players three teams Dodgers, White Sox and Cardinals. Tommy Edmond, who's from San Diego, a switch hitter, can play multiple positions. Gold Glove winner, been banged up this year, but is scheduled to get healthy and come off the

injured list here shortly. Davidvasse said the plan is to have him joined the team in San Diego and evaluate where he's at in his recovery. Michael Kopek, hard throwing Dodger, now right hander out of the bullpen, was a starter with the White Sox, A top first round pick of about ten years ago for the White Sox, has since been moved to the bullpen as a high leverage reliever, and the Dodgers acquire him by the way. Both Edmont and Copek not free agents until the end of next year.

The Dodgers also made some corresponding moves part of that three team, eight player deal. Michael Miguel Vargas was traded to the Chicago White Sox, so he had to give it. Miguel Vargas and this deal and the Dodgers also dfing

Ryan Yarborough. Yes, designated for assignments. Is Ryan Yarborough who has pitched a lot of innings for the Dodgers since they acquired him at the trade deadline last year, helped him out during their playoff run, and then certainly this year thirty two games, he's pitched sixty seven and a third inning. So Ryan Yarbrooke gets designated for assignment doesn't

mean Dodgers still can't try him. That's certainly on the table. Still, you got ten days to make a decision, and the Dodgers could be could be using Ryan Yarborough's part of a package deal if they decide to continue to make some deals before tomorrow's deadline.

Friedman and Mark Walter's for number. Just please do me a favor, give him a call and tell him to unload the truck with all the prospect and all the position players that make the deal you know, you know, for us Nell or a tennis Scott or Crouchet and make the all school ball. You know. Hell, they can even end my grandmother if they want to. She's like you know, she was at the whole time in a Dodger fan. So anything less than a championship team, it's

a failure. So you know, I know you got the phone number, Make the phone call and unload the truck. All right, good night, now.

his contract, Freddy Freeman a few more years. The cornerstones, the pillars, the MVPs are here, and they're here now, and Tyler Glass now is here now for a few years as an ace or a second guy in your rotation. You look at this Dodgers team when they're gonna get healthy here and they are Rookie betch is gonna come back, and the bullpen's gonna get healthy, and these additions that they helped fill out this roster today with Edmund and

Crochet and picking up again Amedrozario. You need to push the chips all in and the Dodgers can do that by going out and getting a Garrett Crochet. They can do that by going out and getting a front end guy to help out this rotation. In my opinion, to put a stamp on a Dodger postseason run doesn't mean any guarantees. Certainly, certainly because you get to the postseason, a lot of things have to go your way. Things

can happen. I get all that, but you put yourself in the best situation and put your roster out there with top to bottom one through twenty six, argue the best roster in baseball going into October. And if you have a chance to go out and add to what is an already uber talented, MVP filled team with the prospects that you have and chips, do you have to go out and make a trade like this, you need

to do it. There's no guarantees in two years. There's no guarantees that in twenty twenty eight you'll still be you know, having a roster built like this, you figure they will. You certainly hope that the Dodgers will, because they've got guys signed the long term deals.

if you want to win a championship. Sounded like John Wayne. But that's true, you know. But still, yeah, if we can get a marquee guy. I know Andrew Friedman. He's a wheeler dealer par excellence, you know, so Man, sure that would be sweet if he could put that cherry on top of the milkshake.

you an additional year. He's making eight hundred k. Now, we'll give you ten million dollars, which is sort of like the average of a picture, but not as much

as normally somebody would go up. And then on the second year, which you want, which is your I guess I think I forget what year of arbitration that is, We'll do some sort of mutual option where if you like it and we like it, twenty million, twenty five million all future of money if you and and it has to be mutual, so Dodgers and him have to

opt in. And then I think you could get it done with one of the young pictures, which would be painful, but I think you probably have to do that, and then I'd be willing to put in either and Depause or James Autman in maybe one low level minor leaguer. What do you think about that?

But what's to say you can't go to him. You're right, listen, go to him and say, well, we're gonna give you an arbit We're gonna give you whatever, eighteen twenty million dollars, and then we'll revisit after next year.

You could do that, But then again, if I'm Andrew Freeman, yeah he's a talent, he's an arm but I still look at him and say, he's got one hundred and fourteen innings a year and a half after Tommy John surgery.

Then you lock him up to a long term deal. Benji, claim out your next up, Hi, Benji?