The Los Angeles Dodgers were working on a deal last week for Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, but the two sides couldn't quite come to an agreement on a deal. Now it appears Dempster will be off the table as he is reportedly close to becoming a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that a deal is close, and Jayson Stark of ESPN said the deal could be completed Monday afternoon. Mark Bowman of MLB.com confirmed the Braves will acquire Dempster, possibly with Randall Delgado going to the Cubs.
Heyman said on MLB Network that the Cubs "wanted a high-end starting pitching prospect" in return, which gave the Braves an advantage over the Dodgers, who didn't want to trade top prospect Zach Lee, currently in Double A at 20, for a rental like Dempster.
The Dodgers, who are also desperate for offensive help, could possibly turn their attention to Matt Garza, also of the Cubs, or James Shields of the Tampa Bay Rays, each of whom are under contract beyond this season.
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