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As ESPN’s Buster Olney reports, the Dodgers are exploring a trade for Mets closer Addison Reed.
The acquisition of Reed wouldn’t be quite as explosive as a potential trade for Orioles closer Zach Britton, a possibility which has been speculated about quite a bit in recent weeks, but it’d have nearly the same level of impact on the Dodgers’ already dominant bullpen. It’s arguable that it’d be a safer move for the Dodgers to trade for Reed than it’d be to acquire Britton, as Reed has been healthy all year (in fact, he’s never been on the disabled list), while Britton has been held back by forearm trouble and has been somewhat inconsistent in 2017.
Reed began the year as the Mets’ closer due to the suspension of Jeurys Familia and assumed the role once again after Familia went on the DL due to a blood clot in his arm back in early May. In 45 appearances this season, the 28-year-old Reed has a 2.35 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 16 saves with 47 strikeouts and six walks in 46 innings.
He’s been absolutely dominant ever since being traded to New York in August of 2015, posting a 2.01 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP, 155 strikeouts, and 24 walks in 139 innings with the Mets.
Reed has pitched in a setup role for the majority of his tenure with the Mets, so it’d be natural for him to slide back into the seventh or eighth inning. On the other hand, his closing experience would give the Dodgers a proven finisher if they decide to use closer Kenley Jansen in the middle innings during the postseason, as they often did last year. Wherever manager Dave Roberts decides to slot them in, the trio of Jansen, Reed, and Pedro Baez would likely represent the most imposing group of late-inning relievers since Kansas City went to battle with Greg Holland, Wade Davis, and Kelvin Herrera back in 2014.
Reed is a free agent after the season, so he’d surely come at a cheaper cost than Britton, who has another year of club control remaining. While both starters and relievers are at a major premium this year, the fact that Reed’s a rental likely means that the Dodgers could avoid giving up star prospects Yadier Alvarez, Alex Verdugo, and Willie Calhoun as they look to upgrade their bullpen.