L.A. bullpen still weak link, blowing 6-0 lead before Beaty's homer in eighth saves day
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers would love to pry Felipe Vazquez from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brad Hand from the Cleveland Indians or Will Smith from the San Francisco Giants before the July 31 trade deadline.
Any of the three left-handed closers would be a huge upgrade for a shaky bullpen that, as currently constructed, is the biggest impediment to the Dodgers winning their first World Series title since 1988.
The problem: The price for those dominant relievers would be steep if their teams were far out of playoff contention. It might be steeper because the Pirates, Indians and Giants were among 19 teams that entered play Saturday either leading their divisions or within five games of a wild-card spot.
