Dodgers have interest in Wade Davis

With the Royals losing slide this summer, they appear to be sellers for the August 1 trade deadline. Closer Wade Davis seems to be generating the most interest from opposing clubs, with his name already linked to the Washington Nationals. Now comes word that the Los Angeles Dodgers have entered the bidding for Davis’ services, according to reporter Jon Heyman.

Baseball president Andrew Friedman is doing his thing, putting together an excellent no-name pen. But word is, the Dodgers are still looking around for a pen piece, and if they get a great one like Davis — with whom Friedman is familiar from their shared time in Tampa Bay — perhaps they can counteract all their rotation questions borne of injury trouble.

The Dodgers already have an excellent closer in Kanley Jansen and lead the National League in bullpen ERA, but they are looking for a dominating 1-2 punch for the post-season. They nearly acquired closer Aroldis Chapman last winter, until news of his domestic assault incident derailed the deal.

The Dodgers have the best farm system in baseball, according to Baseball America. They had six players in their mid-season Top 100 prospect list with 1B Cody Bellinger (#24), RHP Jose de Leon (#25), OF Alex Verdugo (#44), RHP Grant Holmes (#60), and RHP Frankie Montas (#82). That also does not include 19-year old left-handed pitcher Julio Urias, ranked as a top five prospect in baseball before the season, who has 4.69 ERA in nine starts with the Dodgers who reportedly the Dodgers are willing to include him in a deal for Chris Sale.

In addition to the highly ranked prospects, True Blue LA gave a midseason ranking of their farm system that includes some MLB-ready arms like Brock Stewart and Trevor Oaks. Other names on John Sickels’ prospect list from last winter include pitchers Chase de Jong and Jharel Cotton, second baseman Micah Johnson, and outfielders Willie Calhoun, Enrique Hernandez, and Trayce Thompson.

This morning, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports presents an interesting wrinkle.

Sources: Royals trying to package Ian Kennedy in a potential Wade Davis deal. Dodgers a strong match. Covet Davis and can take on Kennedy $.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2016

Wade Davis has a 1.60 ERA in 33 2/3 innings, and is the only reliever in history to post a 1.00 ERA or better in back-to-back seasons with at least 50 innings pitched when he accomplished the feat in 2014-2015. He has converted 21 of 23 save opportunities, but has seen his strikeouts decline significantly, and recently spent time on the disabled list with a forearm injury.