Dodgers could be quiet at deadline
The Dodgers could be surprisingly dormant before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, according to a rival general manager.
They’re certainly not going to buy unless they suddenly rally from last place in the NL West. But the crazy thing is, they might not sell, either.
The Dodgers, for all the uncertainty over their ownership, will not part with their most valuable pieces — center fielder Matt Kemp, right fielder Andre Ethier, left-hander Clayton Kershaw and righty Chad Billingsley.
Yet, according to major-league sources, the team might not even trade its most obvious candidates to be moved, right-hander Hiroki Kuroda and infielder Jamey Carroll.
The problem with trading Kuroda is that the Dodgers will need starting pitching to finish the season — and their only viable alternative in the minors is Triple A right-hander John Ely.
Kuroda, 6-9 with a 2.90 ERA, figures to be coveted in a market thin on pitching. However, he possesses a full no-trade clause and will require compensation to waive it, sources say. Such compensation would be in the form of a contract extension or salary bonus — and Kuroda already is earning $12 million on his one-year deal.
Carroll, batting .296 with a .365 on-base percentage, also figures to be in demand — he could play a valuable super-utility role for a contender, and is earning a mere $1.8 million. The Dodgers, though, might prefer to keep Carroll for depth, knowing that he might bring little more than an mid-level prospect in return.
Several other potential trade candidates with the Dodgers — catcher Rod Barajas, shortstop Rafael Furcal, infielder Casey Blake, right-hander Jonathan Broxton — have been dealing with injuries for much of the season.
— Ken Rosenthal
