With less than a week to go before the July 30 MLB trade deadline, teams like the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are busy working the phones. They may even strike a deal with each other.
With the Cubs fading in the NL Central, facing a 10-game climb to get back to first place, they’re expected to be trade deadline sellers. The opposite is true for the Dodgers, who hold an 8.5-game lead over the second-place San Diego Padres in the NL West. As usual, the Dodgers are expected to be buyers.
As Dodgers insider David Vassegh reports, the Cubs have placed a large emphasis on scouting various Dodgers prospects, having sent scouts to multiple levels of their farm system. This seems to indicate that the two sides are actively discussing a potential trade.
However, trading for former Dodgers MVP Cody Bellinger would reportedly be a “longshot” according to Vassegh. Yet, that leaves other potential options like outfielder Ian Happ. Infielder Nico Hoerner is another Cubs player the Dodgers have “kicked the tires on.”
Another player the Dodgers have shown interest in, is Angels infielder Luis Rengifo, who’s enjoying the best season of his career, with an OPS of .796, well above the league average. Rengifo has spent most of his time at third base and second base, so he’d seemingly be another good addition in Los Angeles.
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