The Los Angeles Dodgers are talking with at least two teams about trades for a starting pitcher, according to FOX Sports' Jon Morosi:
Sources: #Dodgers engaged in ongoing trade talks with #Indians (Carrasco or Salazar) and #Rays (Odorizzi) aimed at acquiring starter. @FS1
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 18, 2015
Los Angeles' quest for pitching this offseason has thus far proven fruitless, as they lost Zack Greinke, who signed with division-rival Arizona and did not sign Hisashi Iwakuma, who returned to the Mariners after failing his physical with the Dodgers.
Now, it appears the Dodgers will look to trade for a young, cost-controlled arm instead of returning to the free-agent market, having discussed deals with the Indians and Rays.
Cleveland has a pair of cost-controlled arms that interest the Dodgers in Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. Salazar is the younger of the two at age 25, but has also been more inconsistent. He had a strong 2015, with a 3.45 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 195 strikeouts in 185 innings over 30 starts. Carrasco is older at age 28, but has a FIP below 3.00 in each of the last two seasons. In 2015, Carrasco had a 2.84 FIP to go with a 3.63 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 183⅔ innings, walking 43 and srtiking out a career-high 216.
The Dodgers have also talked with Tampa Bay about 25-year-old righty Jake Odorizzi, who had a breakout season for the Rays in 2015. Odorizzi pitched 169⅓ innings last season, posting a 3.35 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 150 strikeouts.
In addition to their talks with the Indians and Rays, there have also been rumors of the Dodgers making a push for Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, so it seems they are going for a cost-controlled right-hander to pair with lefty Clayton Kershaw at the top of their rotation.