The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be extremely active at the trade deadline. Is Ryan Dempster the player they'll end up landing? Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports the Dodgers are in hot pursuit.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have proposed a trade for Chicago Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, a baseball source told ESPNChicago.com on Thursday.
The Cubs have been clear their top priority on the trade market is adding young pitching. It is unclear whether Zach Lee, the top-rated arm in Los Angeles' farm system, is included in the offer.
As True Blue LA points out, Dempster is 35 years old, but he has been pitching well, posting a 1.86 ERA in 14 starts and is still riding out a streak of 33 consecutive scoreless innings. Dempster is reaching the end of a four-year contract that would pay out $14 million this season, and it looks like the moribund Cubs are ready to dump salary. The Dodgers could use an extra hand in the starting rotation and Dempster could be that guy to help upgrade Los Angeles toward a run to the playoffs.
This could be the first of a series of trade rumors involving the Dodgers as we move closer to the deadline, which is 12 days away. After that point, players can only be picked up by teams on waivers for the remainder of the season.
Talk about Dempster with Dodgers fans over at True Blue LA, and with Cubs fans at Bleed Cubbie Blue.
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