The Dodgers may want Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez in a trade, but Pittsburgh has set a massive price tag on the lefty.
Pittsburgh wants "at least" two of the Dodgers' top four propsects in a trade for Vazquez, according to MLB.com.
Essentially, the Pirates want some combination of Keibert Ruiz, Gavin Lux, Dustin May and Will Smith for Vazquez. All four of those players rank in MLB Pipeline's top 100.
How high is #Pirates price on Felipe Vázquez? Sources say Pittsburgh likely would ask #Dodgers for *at least* two of the Keibert Ruiz/Gavin Lux/Dustin May/Will Smith group if talks ever advanced. (And one source said Pirates remain unsure if they sell at all.) @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 10, 2019
Los Angeles, understandably, has expressed zero interest in agreeing to Pittsburgh's demands, but there are still three weeks until the July 31 trade deadline, so a lot can happen between now and then.
That applies to two fronts, though. For one, the Dodgers could decide to move two of those prospects if their bullpen continues to struggle. That is the one true weakness on Los Angeles' team and after losing two straight World Series to the Astros and Red Sox, the team could be just desperate enough to do it.
But it applies to the Pirates, as well. Pittsburgh could very well drop the price tag if other teams are not willing to meet such high demands before the deadline. At the same time, some team could meet the asking price and the Dodgers would miss out on the setup man they so desperately crave.
Los Angeles has also reached out to the Giants about their closer, Will Smith, in addition to former Dodgers and Pirates reliever Tony Watson, Sam Dyson and Reyes Moronta.
The Dodgers clearly want help. At this point, they have to determine if they truly are desperate enough to overpay for a reliever, or if they believe they can make do with what they have in another potential World Series run.
Vazquez is 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 35 games for Pittsburgh this year. He is 20 for 21 in save opportunities. He is signed with the Pirates through 2021 and has two club option years, as well.