Dodgers Competing With 5 Teams for Top Relievers on Trade Market

The general consensus surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers is the team will make a move at the July 31 trade deadline.

However, it remains uncertain where president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman intends to focus on the trade market.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale provided more insight into the Dodgers' trade deadline plans in his most recent column.

"The Philadelphia Phillies have been extensively scouting Minnesota Twins relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins, hoping to acquire at least one of them," Nightengale writes.

"The Twins also are drawing strong interest from the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds."

The Dodgers have previously been linked to Duran, which only fuels speculation that the LA front office will manage to acquire the right-handed reliever.

MLB insider Jeff Passan explained why Duran is a good fit for the Dodgers, and could certainly help sharpen a bullpen that features Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, and Alex Vesia. Neither Scott or Yates have lived up to expectations in their first season with the Dodgers.

Scott blew his seventh save of the season over the weekend, which is the most in MLB. Therefore adding a shutdown reliever like Duran would be huge for the Dodgers, who are hoping to win their second consecutive World Series this season.

"The Dodgers enter every deadline season seeking a major move, and the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Durán qualifies," Passan wrote. "With a fastball that averages over 100 mph, a splinker that sits at 98 and a curveball to keep hitters off balance, Durán is pitching as well as ever. He hasn't given up a home run this season, and his 1.52 ERA is third in MLB for pitchers with at least 40 innings."

Adding a reliever likely isn't the only place Friedman is looking to upgrade this summer. The ongoing struggles of Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernandez will likely propel the front office to trade for an outfielder at the deadline, too.