Dodgers set sights on Cole Hamels and David Price

The golden arms have thrown their final pitches before the trade deadline. It is all up to the front offices now.

With Cole Hamels or David Price, the Dodgers would take one giant leap toward the playoffs, and their first World Series victory since 1988.

The Philadelphia Phillies have told Hamels he would not start for them until Friday’s deadline has passed. And, as the Oakland Athletics beat the Dodgers, 2-0, on Tuesday, Price pitched for the Detroit Tigers, with a Dodgers scout on hand.

The Dodgers would love Price, although they are not entirely sure whether the Tigers will trade him. They would like Hamels, too, with either one joining Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in a star-studded rotation.

If the Dodgers do not get either one, or even if they do, they could trade for a non-elite starter, with candidates including Mike Leake of the Cincinnati Reds, Yovani Gallardo of the Texas Rangers, Jeff Samardzija of the Chicago White Sox, Tyson Ross, James Shields or Andrew Cashner of the San Diego Padres, and Jesse Chavez of the Athletics, who starts against the Dodgers on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers and Athletics had serious discussions about Chavez last off-season.

On Tuesday, Oakland ace Sonny Gray pitched his second shutout this season, backed by a home run from Josh Reddick.

Gray got his first major league hit, a single, and limited the Dodgers to three hits. He leads the American League with a 2.16 earned-run average; the Dodgers’ Zack Greinke leads the National League at 1.37.

Dodgers starter Brett Anderson, who scattered five hits over seven innings, said he had a “selfish” interest in the trade deadline.

“I hope we get Cole Hamels,” he said, smiling. Anderson explained that he could offer his No. 35 to Hamels, but he had not determined what that ransom might be.

With the deadline looming, the game was played amid the backdrop of trade chatter from far and wide.

“I’m always interested to see what happens, not only with our front office but throughout the game,” Anderson said. “It’s kind of a fun time to follow baseball and be around it.”

The Dodgers have been exploring trades for a starting pitcher since April, when Brandon McCarthy’s season ended after four starts because of a torn elbow ligament. Manager Don Mattingly, asked whether he would be disappointed if the team did not acquire a starter this week, graciously backed the players in his clubhouse.

“I always look at it like, we win with this club right here,” Mattingly said. “Any time you say you’ll be disappointed if you don’t get something, that means you’ll be disappointed with the guys you have.

“I don’t want to be the guy saying, ‘I don’t like my club.’ I like my club.”

Mattingly noted that the biggest trades do not necessarily make the biggest differences.

“Sometimes, clubs get a guy they think is going to make a difference,” Mattingly said, “and he doesn’t do anything.”

The Dodgers consider Yasiel Puig a difference-maker. So do other teams, but Mattingly said the Dodgers front office has not made him aware that Puig is under discussion in trade talks.

“If something was really going on, they would tell me,” Mattingly said.

Of course, he spoke Tuesday, and the deadline is Friday. In the meantime, Puig is batting .194 since the All-Star break, with two home runs, two walks and 12 strikeouts in 36 at-bats.

“Before the break, he looked a little rough,” Mattingly said. “Since the break, I’m not sure what the numbers are but the at-bats have been better for me. I think he’s been fine, but he hit a couple homers recently. I think he’s been better.”

Up next

Kershaw (8-6, 2.51 ERA) faces the Athletics’ Chavez (5-10, 3.45) on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. TV: SportsNet LA. Radio: 570, 1020.