Pittsburgh Pirates Rumors: Update on Vazquez and the Dodgers

The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the most prized trade chips right now in their closer.  Will the Los Angeles Dodgers make the deal to get him?

At this point, every Pittsburgh Pirates fan knows that there have been trade rumors surrounding Felipe Vazquez and the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The rumors first started at the beginning of July, but the Bucs looked like a potential player in the National League Central.  However, they have been one of the worst team’s in baseball since the All-Star Break and have already started selling.  Yesterday, the team dealt Jordan Lyles to the Brewers for a prospect.

So with that, the trade rumors about the Pittsburgh Pirates sending their closer to the Dodgers have kicked back up.  About a week ago we learned that there was a scout at PNC, which backed up the theory that they were interested in Vazquez.

Since then, it has been reported by multiple insiders that Felipe Vazquez is the Dodgers primary target this deadline.  However, Buster Olney of ESPN reported last night that talks are very much ongoing, but the Dodgers are balking at giving up top prospect Gavin Lux.  This makes sense, Lux is mashing at Triple-A and is one of the top prospects in baseball.  At the same times, the Bucs should continue to insist on Lux as they do not have to trade the affordably controlled Vazquez.  Olney tweeted last night:

So it seems like the Dodgers and Bucs are still having discussions, but the price has been set and the Dodgers do not seem to want to budge.  Ken Rosenthal threw another wrench into the rumors.  This morning in his column on The Athletic Rosenthal stated:

"“For all the talk of the Pirates trading Vázquez, the team shows little appetite for actually making such a move, sources say.”"

Depending on who Rosenthal’s source is could depend on the answer by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  For instance, a team like the Red Sox who need bullpen help badly do not have the farm system to make a deal.  Maybe, the Bucs told them absolutely not available to just that team.  Another thought could be that Huntington is just not trying to tip his hand.  Once again, he does not have to trade Vazquez.

The only teams that make sense for both sides are the Dodgers and the Braves.  Both teams desperately need bullpen help and have the farm systems to get a deal done.  Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted that the Dodgers are still trying to work a deal by tomorrow for Vazquez:

Really, the Dodgers could use both relievers if their goal is to make sure they do not lose three World Series in a row.  There has been so much smoke around Vazquez and the Dodgers that it seems like it very well could happen.

Whether Lux will be a part of the package will be the question.  If the Dodgers truly do not want to trade Lux, they still have a strong enough farm to get a deal done.  We will see how firm General Manager Neal Huntington stays.