Dodgers trade puts MLB on ‘chokehold,’ Phillies help make LA ‘bulletproof’ in deal for Jhoan Duran originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are still trying to navigate a wave of injuries, particularly within their pitching staff. While Blake Snell recently returned, Tyler Glasnow was placed on the injured list.

Earlier this season, closer Edwin Díaz was also placed on the IL after learning he would need elbow surgery to remove loose bodies.

“Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, the team announced. The expectation is that the reliever could sit out around three months, a source told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez on Monday. Los Angeles put Diaz, 32, on the 15-day injured list,” ESPN wrote.

With Díaz expected to miss significant time, the Dodgers could look to swing a trade for another high-end closer. The Philadelphia Phillies could potentially make Jhoan Duran available in the right deal.

“The Dodgers have a chokehold on MLB and somehow money isn’t a worry for them. They can win two consecutive World Series titles and they still feel like they have to monopolize the best market for the top players. The Dodgers consistently field some of the best lineups and have some of the best prospects. The Phillies could get aggressive in getting as much for Duran as they want essentially. The Dodgers don’t need to add Duran because their bullpen is crippling – without Duran, they’re still good. Adding Duran simply makes them bulletproof,” FanSided’s Wyston Wilcox wrote.

Adding Duran to the Dodgers bullpen would give even more firepower to an already loaded pitching staff. Los Angeles is always aggressive when it comes to improving the roster, and few organizations have the resources to make blockbuster additions as consistently as the Dodgers.

Duran recently returned to action for the Phillies after recovering from a strained left oblique. A potential late-inning duo of Duran and Díaz would rival some of the top bullpen combinations in baseball, including the Atlanta Braves pairing of Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias.

If the Dodgers were to pull off a move for Duran, it would once again send shockwaves throughout the MLB and reinforce just how aggressive Los Angeles is willing to be in pursuit of another championship.

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• Braves-Nationals trade pitch sends $4.2M All-Star to Atlanta as Ha-Seong Kim successor

• Dodgers ‘nightmare’ trade puts MLB on notice, potentially sets up future Tarik Skubal move

• Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas reveals final goal to achieve before retiring at end of the season