The Dodgers were among those who scouted Rangers ace Yu Darvish‘s latest start, an eight-frame, 12-strikeout showing against the Rays on Friday. It turns out the Dodgers are one of multiple teams with “strong interest” in Darvish, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Talks between Los Angeles and Texas are in their preliminary stages, adds Morosi.
With a major league-best 67-31 record, the Dodgers are already something of a dream team, and adding Darvish to the fold would further increase their relatively high odds of being the last club standing at season’s end. The 30-year-old Darvish would give the Dodgers at least two bona fide aces, joining the peerless Clayton Kershaw, and there’s a legitimate case they also have another No. 1 in the lights-out Alex Wood. Los Angeles has also gotten quality pitching this year from starters Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy, though both come with durability concerns. The depth-laden team has a couple more respectable starters in Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu, but they’ve been the weakest links in a rotation that tops the majors in ERA (3.33) and fWAR (12.1).
As an impending free agent, Darvish wouldn’t necessarily stick with the Dodgers past this season, yet this year could represent the franchise’s best chance at a championship in a while. So, between that and their top-notch farm system, the Dodgers could elect to make a bold strike and pay what will be a high price to acquire Darvish. Even though the Rangers are struggling, there’s no guarantee they’ll move Darvish, a franchise icon whom they’d like to re-sign. However, just in case, the Rangers have been scouting the Dodgers’ minor leaguers. The Rangers watched highly touted Triple-A outfielder Alex Verdugo on Friday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News notes (on Twitter). Verdugo is the 35th-best prospect in the game, per Baseball America, and the Dodgers aren’t eager to part with him or other acclaimed youngsters such as righties Walker Buehler and Yadier Alvarez.
Of course they do
It could be their missing piece. Are they prepared to weaken their farm by a lot?
Rentals haven’t exactly got big returns in the past few years. They won’t have to deplete the farm to get him
Chapman yielded a top 10 prospect. Darvish will require the same.
Chapman is a closer who throws over 103 consistently. Darvish got lit up in the postseason last year. Rangers wont get a top 10 for him , why would a team do that when a top 10 could have got close to Quintanna who has 3 more years of control
Darvish is an ace that will get you that World Seires ring you so desire. You can’t just get it for nothing, buddy. You’re going to have to give a couple quality prospects, because if you don’t another team will.
Exactly
Rangers will want plenty for Darvish. Dodgers will have to pay if they want him.
Look at the David price trade and Johnny Cueto returns. It’s about one top prospect and some lotto tickets that get a rental ace
Exactly. Price was even traded twice at the deadline. When has a rental starter got a mammoth haul? Not saying it will be cheap but not more than 2 of the dodgers top 100s
Torres was 26th and 27th on the Keith Law and Baseball America mid-season prospect lists at time of trade.
He is right. The Cubs proved last season, that if you know for sure the 1 piece you’re missing, and you can get him, and win the World Series with him……Then you go get him. On the flip side, you get a TOP prospect in the game. And then some
Except they didn’t need Chapman, and ended up winning the WS in spite of him, not because of him
over 103 consistently. Chapman averages 99 MPH and doesn’t have one pitch over 103 this year
At the time of the trade. Last year he was throwing 105 a lot with the yankees before the trade
I think Cashman could get Darvish for Green, Mateo, Florial, and Solek
I was just about to say that JDGOAT but you already did..exactly, it’s gonna cost one big prospect and maybe a couple of hopefuls
Yeah, Cashman isn’t moving all that for Darvish when he can just get him in the off-season for money and forfeiting a pick. Darvish is not the missing piece for the Yankees this season. Horrible trade.
You can’t compare Chapman and Darvish. They essentially play different positions.
A better comp is Cueto since he was the last rental TOR pitcher to be dealt at the deadline. He didn’t yield a top-10 prospect.
In spite of him? They lose in 5 without him. He was literally the only reliever that was effective st all for the Cubs in the postseason. He just got overused and ran out of gas in G7
How do you know? Madden had Chapman pitching a ton of post season innings. His performance might not have been up to his standard, however he had lots of mileage at that point.
You should quote your own calculations from your sheltered world and play make believe GM. However in the real world he was a big piece of the WS championship.
Dude is an ace
He will get it
If he is an ace why are the Rangers not trying harder to sign him!
What kind of logic is that? That’s like saying “If Sale is an ace, why didn’t the Red Sox try harder to extend him?” or “
Lol
They can trade him away then sign him back like chapman
Price landed the #13 prospect in baseball at the time he was traded as a ‘rental’. Chapman a top 10 prospect as a rental. Both recent trades and both landed top prospects
If you look at the write ups from the scouting community following the trade of Price, you will see that Norris was widely viewed as a 55 FV prospect at the time of the trade. He was no longer viewed as the #18 prospect that he was entering the season. The Tigers received a 55, 50 and 45 FV prospects for Price. That’s very similar to the Reds return of a 55, 50 and 40 FV prospects for another top of the rotation starter in Cueto, also at the 2015 deadline. Obviously anything is possible, but I would be pretty surprised to see Darvish return a 60 grade prospect, especially considering he hasn’t looked as dominant as he did before TJ.
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Make it happen! I’ll take Verlander also please, annnnd maybe sprinkle a little Britton. Let’s make some noise guys !
They should trade Maeda in the deal.
He should end up in Dodger land, so why not…
Darvish will land a top prospect, top 5 prospect, and a top 10 from an organization IMO
Probably not that much but if the Rangers can get a bidding war going with the Cubs and Yankees who knows.
The cubs system can’t hang with the Yankees and dodgers at this point
But it can still drive up the price to an org top 5, top 10, and a lottery ticket. Looking at a top 5 and a top 15 if no other deep system gets into the bidding.
Schwarber, Adzolay, De La Cruz, and. CAndelario would get it done
That’s an overpay for Gray. Darvish won’t even come close to costing that much.
Sure it would. It would also probably happen with De La Cruz (55 FV), Candelario (50) and Adzolay (45) only.
He might, but any team giving that is as stupid as the thought that he could.
Agreed. It’s well understood he’s a rental. But you aren’t getting Yu Darvish for a fringe top 50 prospect and a couple of late 90’s ranked prospects like some Dodgers fans believe.
So 3 top 100 prospects isn’t enough? Over 18 years of team control for 2 months of a starting pitcher. Jonny cueto got no top 100s and he was having just as good of a season as darvish in 2015
Cueto isn’t Darvish, completely different pitchers. One pitches to contact, the other takes over games with K’s. Not to mention the market we are in now is different than it was in 2015. The rangers aren’t going to just give darvish up for prospects that have dabbled in single and double A. What would be your proposal if you believe he’s worth 3 top 100 prospects?
You literally said a fringe 50 ( verdugo ) and late 90s calhoun, and alvarez who is in the 60s i think. You are telling me calhoun, verdugo and alvarez is not enough?
I’m talking more about the Dodgers system specifically not MLB prospect rankings as a whole. I know all those players are top 100. I’ve seen some Dodgers fans say crap like Sheffield, Farmer and Rhame which is laughable. I would ask for Verdugo and Sheffield for starters. I’m not interested in Calhoun because he’s a power hitting, bad fielding second baseman which we already have which means you have to project him in the OF. I’m speaking more on Dodgers fans who believe they have leverage and can offer peanuts for darvish. Dodgers have no leverage, they can pay the price or there will be 5 other teams that will pay the price. he’s the best pitcher on the market regardless of being a rental and a team will meet the rangers asking price or he won’t be traded. It’s not out of the question they let him reach FA and resign him in the exclusive negotiating period.
Name 5 other teams that can make a better offer from their farm system
Your so jaded. Name five teams that need darvish and are in contention to surrender what you deem “musts” Yankees and cubs are both fringe playoff teams that won’t mortgage their futures in a year that they won’t win the chip. Dodgers will get him for what they want, if they don’t we stand pat. Haters act like we only have kershaw…wood, mcarthy, hill,ryu, Brock Stewart, maeda. Get over yourself and climb back into the cellar you came from bro. Houston got your division on lock for the next 5/6 years.
Five teams are not going to engage a huge difference-making bidding war. He ain’t going to come cheap, but the margin for a bidding war isn’t that great either. Teams with blue chip prospects that they already don’t want to give up probably don’t want to add to it….again, for a rental.
Cellar I came from? The Rangers have been one of the best teams in baseball over the last decade. They’ve been to 2 of the last 7 world series. They lost but at least they’ve been there. The Dodgers have done what since 1988? Finish second or Win the division to lose in the DS or CS every year? This is the first time the Dodgers have had a legitimate chance to win a world series and the last time they won one you probably weren’t even born yet. You’re starting to sound like a Yankees fan
Well said. Dodgers WILL not overpay for Darvish. I rather them do nothing. The playoffs are a crapshoot.
Dodger fans think the Rangers should just give him to them, and the Cubs think Swarber and a player to be named later should be more than enough.
Texas fans are delusional lmao, rental and they think they are getting the world. Rangers are an inept franchise in the midst of a of a rebuild, keep dreaming of any prospects in the top 10 lol. yankees and cubs both aren’t positions to destroy their future since they are both fringe playoff teams at this juncture. Dodgers are in the prime position to stand pat and have all the leverage, we either get him for what WE want or we simply don’t get him.
You’re a moron. Darvish would require two top 100 prospects to acquire. Rental or not.
Gentlemen’s bet?
Darkish will NOT require two top 100 prospects! He is a rental. One will be enough
He very well could be the difference between winning the World Series or not. The Dodgers are absolutely stacked. But so are the Astros. Boston and the Nationals aren’t that shabby either. Look at all the stud pitchers, who were traded the past several deadlines, and the ones that were ‘rentals’ still brought in a haul.
I’d greatly prefer Darvish to Verlander at this point, and I think he’d slot in well after Kershaw, but it has to be said that Darvish hasn’t exactly been overwhelming since before his TJ. Speaking of which, his medical history should raise some durability concerns. He’s headed towards his largest innings count since 2014.
I’d bet they do….getting Darvish would make the Dodgers go from “as good a chance as anyone” to “it’s theirs to lose”.
I’m trying to picture what a fair return for darvish maybe. Buehler, oaks, and keiburt Ruiz? Ranger maybe throw in Reliever to sweeten the deal?
Buehler? Nope. Dodgers don’t give up arms of that caliber on rentals (Holmes, JDL, Cotton, DeJong, etc., are not that caliber). Verdugo would probably be liable to, but I am sure LAD would like to let him go for a controllable piece if possible.
Every year at the trade deadline I read about the Dodgers being “strongly interested” in a top of the line pitcher and they never pull the trigger. 🙁
Because they’re too damn expensive. We wouldn’t have Seager, Joc, Bellinger or Urias if we bought aces at the deadline.
Should have traded Urias.
Urias is to good to be traded
Give me a break.. guy is a 20 year old he will recover and come back and be a stud you are judging a guy that has unbelievable stuff
Yeah but their success with the others shows that sometimes it’s worth it to develop your own guys.
Wow – the Dodgers would be a dream team with Darvish. Stacked like crazy and they have the farm system to pull off a deal. Kershaw & Darvish in the playoffs would not be fun to face.
Those of you that think Texas will only net a top 50 talent, and a random single A prospect are dreaming. Yes, he’s a rental, we know. It’s still not happening. To have arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Kershaw, a lefty, and then another bonifide ace in Darvish, a righty, right after him in the rotation would be elite. But it’s going to cost them.
Rangers have a lot of pieces they could trade at the deadline:
Darvish – most sense for the Yankees and Dodgers
Lucroy – makes sense for the Cubs
Napoli – could be a good bench piece for the Yankees. Strong veteran leadership & playoff history
Hamels – don’t see the Rangers trading him unless they are blown away. Mainly because they have 3 starters who are free agents
Carlos Gomez
Andrew Cashner
Matt Bush
The Rangers have a weak schedule this week – playing the Marlins and Baltimore. Could factor into whether they become sellers or not.
Rangers have a weak schedule with BAL? Orioles just swept 4 games against the Rangers and outscored them 34-11
That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a weak schedule. Rangers should have won those games but it was one of those series were they just fell apart and other team did well
Baltimorean a god awful team
Baltimore is 4 games under .500, even after the recent sweep of the Rangers. Without that sweep they would be near the cellar in the AL. Point of the post is they aren’t playing the likes of Houston, Cleveland, Boston, etc… which would be much tougher series.
Meanwhile Kershaw just came out of his game with an apparent injury.
I think Cashman will have the best package for Darvish, Green, Mateo, and Florial. or Adams, Estrada, and Abreu. should get it done.
Yankee prospects are trash lmao. On top of it all you actually believe it wouldn’t cost one of there too 3 in return. Torres or Frazier would headline the deal back.
These yankees trade proposals are awful. Suprised you didnt have refsnyder for darvish
I said it earlier, here’s a fair deal
Dodgers get: Darvish
Rangers get: Calhoun,keibert ruiz, jordan Sheffield
And the team bus. I hear it’s available.
I don’t think that’s enough now even with the team bus let’s sweeten the pot and throw in Chris hatcher 🙂
You can have Hatcher for a bucket of warm spit, and you can keep the bucket.
I think the rangers will insist on Buehler.
They can insist on buehler but given zaidi’s comments I garauntee he’s not gonna be in that deal
Good thing you didn’t guarantee this.
Problem is Rangers would have ZERO reason to want Calhoun. They already have 2B locked up and need contact hitters. Not high K rate power guys
Calhoun can hit for contact it’s rated higher than his power ability lol, and if they don’t need him at 2nd put him in the DH spot or the outfield
I must be thinking of someone else because I could have sworn helps K rate was way higher. His defensive abilities in OF don’t seem to promising. His arm and speed are rated pretty poorly
With Kershaw out after two innings today I’d say it’s even more likely the Dodgers will try to do this, and that much more likely that Texas will ask for the house.
If the Rangers get a lot for Darvish it will happen because a number of teams are after him, not because the Dodgers will bid against themselves. We don’t know what happened to Kershaw today but we have to hope it’s nothing serious. He simply can’t be replaced.
I hope you’re right but I’m not sure why you are so sure of this. Clearly this is a special season for the Dodgers and the Rangers know this. If Kershaw is hurt beyond missing a start or two, why wouldn’t the price rise and why wouldn’t the Dodgers pay it?
Btw, the tv broadcast had the lower back tightness report. You must be at the game.
Watching with the sound muted. Best way these days.
With regard to whether Kershaw can be replaced, I agree that nobody is better, but every World Series winner since he joined the league has done it without him. Like everyone in this game, he can be replaced. Darvish would certainly be amongst the most preferable options.
Problem is, the Dodgers really need two proven aces for the post season.
It goes without saying, but I’ll say it again… hopefully Kershaw isn’t badly injured.
That’s what they said about Judge
Right now the Dodgers and Nats look to cruise to the NL finals.
1
They said it’s only bc of lower back tightness , if that’s the case he’ll be good by next start
The back is what sidelined him for two months last year. Where did you get that report?
Early reports are indicating that Kershaw, as well as McCarthy, are going on the DL.
Kershaw placed on the DL today. His reaction to questions after the game was telling……He was NOT happy…..NOT upbeat at all…..Frustrated with the “back issues” is what I got from it. Sounds like it is more problematic than some of you guys are hoping.
Too bad…..the guy is a Stud on the mound.
Darvish would be a solid get for the Dodgers and give them a nice top 4 of Kershaw, Darvish, Wood and Hill for the playoffs. We’ve seen what TOR rental pitchers return in the recent past. Two seasons ago we saw two TOR rental starters dealt at the deadline. Cueto was traded for a 55 FV, a 50 and a 40, while Price was moved for a 55, 50 and 45. I’d expect a similar return for Darvish. A potential Dodgers package could look like Calhoun (55 FV), one of Sheffield/White (50 FV) and Sborz (45).
I agree with u
Why would Rangers want Calhoun? They need pitching and OF likely would insist on Verdugo or Buehler even if it meant fewer overall prospects or had to throw in a RP. Claudio could be a great LHP option for LAD
Calhoun is major league ready and has a reasonable projection of above average hitting and power. His likely outcome as a hitter is basically Marcell Ozuna. Obviously his defense needs work, but if he becomes passable at either 2B or LF, he can be a very valuable asset. Even if he doesn’t, his bat should play enough to be a quality DH.
I hope Kershaw is okay because if he’s not then Yu is going to be in LA quick
And at a higher price
The haters come out in droves, they really hate to see the success of the dodgers. First it was fire the front office now y’all think we are gonna mortgage our future for rental pieces, gtfo here. Dodgers aren’t trading verdugo,buehler, Alvarez. Keep dreamin.
Happens to all the teams. Especially the Yankees or Red Sox. There’s plenty of haters out there. Get over it.
Win a World Series or get to one then maybe you can talk down to people.
Exactly
Brown noser please go away, just another hater. Sorry your team sux.
Boo Hoo. Stop being so sensitive
How is what I said talking down? Keyboard warrior to the rescue!! Called common sense.
Victory is ours!
twitter.com/MLBStatoftheDay/status/889235680991342…
This makes a difference.
With Kershaw leaving after two innings , Darvish makes a lot of sense for the dodgers, I hope they are prepared to unload the farm for a rental.
The Dodgers and Nats looked to be the top teams going into the playoffs, but with Kershaw and Strasberg leaving their games today everything might have changed.
Cody bellinger was an incredible pitcher in little league and could certainly step in if needed
better going for archer than a rental if we are going to give the farm
I just received a call from buster olney and unfortunately the rangers are wanting Cody bellinger in return :/
LOL
LMAO
ROFL
Bwahahahahahahahaha…………………
Not A Chance.
More likely Puig & A-Gon…….LOL
If they can get this guy and someone like Britton they would absolutely be the favorites for the WS even if Kershaw misses a little time with this back injury. They better be telling people his injury isn’t serious even if it is or the Rangers will drive up the price knowing they are in bad need of an ace if he’s out for a while.
What people need to remember is that the Rangers aren’t exactly selling from a position of leverage. The price would theoretically go up after Kershaw’s injury, if the Rangers were in the same position as say, the White Sox were with Quintana – control, and no need to move him. But Yu is gone after this season, so the Rangers can’t force the price up by saying they’ll just re-visit things in the offseason.
The Dodgers urgency may push them to be a more aggressive, but they will be competing against the market, not the Rangers leverage. The Rangers need the market to develop, or risk losing him for nothing.
The same thing could have been said of every top of the rotation pitcher traded at the deadline for the last decade. Yet every one of those trades netted great prospects. Prospects are just that. Profane used to be the #1 prospect in the minors and now the guy can’t even bat his weight. Gallo was untouchable and now he’s hovering around a .200 batting average. Derek Holland was projected to be a #2 pitcher and he is anything but. Same with Martin Perez. To get into a love feast with prospects over a chance to win the World Series is nuts. It’s also why GM’s give up top prospects at the deadline for ‘rentals’ every single summer.
In mlb site say 2 of our top 3 for Yu if thats the price why no go for archer i think our top 3+ 2 more can be better than giving them for a rental the rangers probably want verdugo buehler
If the Rangers trade Darvish the Dodgers will have to include either Verdugo or Alvarez to headline the deal
Sike
Like we al said Forsythe shouldn’t cost much but the FO confidently gave up DeLeon, I think to get Darvish a Verdugo 1for1 trade would make the best sense
Best play for the Rangers is to move him for young talent and then simply resign him next year. It’s a win-win.
I bet the dodgers won’t want to give up so much for Darvish. Gray is a better option for the Dodgers.
Though it would hurt to lose them, Verdugo and Alvarez may be the two to go……but I agree with Dodgers13….Sonny Gray is a better way to go
All you cubs fans need to take a look at darvish’s no trade clause… sorry but he will not be a cubbie.
Nationals enter the picture……..
Strasburg left after 2 innings pitched today…….”Arm Stiffness”.
Ross had TJ surgery
Roark has been terrible all year (sans his start yesterday)
Gio has been “better than he really is”.
Nats trade Victor Robles, A.J. Cole, and Jose Lobaton for Darvish & Lucroy
I doubt Washington would go for that, some of their best prospects being traded for a couple of rentals, plus lucroy isn’t have that great of a season. In addition, Texas has no use for lobaton as his batting has been awful this year.