PHOENIX — There were no blockbuster deals and only a couple of All-Star players were even moved at the . Yet despite the lack of star power, there are seven contenders who have greatly benefited from their reinforcements, and fear just where they’d be without them. “I don’t want to even think about where we’d be," manager Dave Roberts said.
“These guys have been huge for us. They’ve already made a big impact for us.’’ The best under-the-radar gem found at the trade deadline was the discarded middle reliever from the Chicago White Sox, Michael Kopech.
He was 2-8 with a 4.74 ERA for baseball’s worst team, and suddenly is 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA for the Dodgers, striking out 20 of the 53 batters he has faced.
“It’s like they have a magic formula over there," Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Paul Sewald says. “Look at what he’s doing." The Dodgers, trying to wrap up their 12 NL West title in the last 13 years, struck gold at the deadline without touching any of their prized prospects, landing starter Jack Flaherty, super utilityman Tommy Edman and Kopech.
Flaherty, who was with the Detroit Tigers, was on the verge of being traded to the New York Yankees until they balked after seeing his medicals, and tried to lower the price. The Dodgers snared him for the discount price of prospects Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney. Flaherty is now the top starter on an injury-riddled staff, going 4-1 with a 3.
18 ERA, and likely will pitch a Game 1 of the postseason. They a.