Los Angeles Dodgers Interested in Zach Britton
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have headed into the All-Star break with the best record in Major League Baseball (MLB), but they are still looking for ways to improve the team in the weeks leading up to the nonwaiver deadline later this month.
According to FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman, the Dodgers have been checking in Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton. Before anyone gets too excited, it should be noted that Heyman pointed out that Britton hasn't been placed on the trading block yet.
At 42–47, the Orioles still have an outside chance of making the playoffs. But if they fail to improve their position in the American League (AL) wild-card race in the coming weeks, Britton may become available.
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The Dodgers already has the best closer in all of baseball at the moment in Kenley Jansen. Adding another accomplished closer may seem like overkill, but the Dodgers simply can't miss the chance to acquire Britton if he's available for trade.
Of course, acquiring him isn't going to be easy. After all, Britton did finish fourth in the AL Cy Young award balloting last year.
"The Orioles would first have to convince their owner to trade Britton, which is a bit of a stretch, but if the Orioles go on a quick losing streak out of the break you never know who could become available," Thomas Lott wrote in his report for Sporting News.
"The idea of a Britton-Jensen combo is horrifying for any team in Major League Baseball with the only late-inning combos resembling that in the last few years being Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman or possibly Andrew Miller and Cody Allen," he added.
Per Heyman, Jansen seems to really like the idea of teaming up with Britton.
"Man, that would be awesome," Jansen said, according to FanRag Sports. "You just gave me goose bumps," he added.
Will fans ever see Britton pitch in a Dodgers uniform?
