Would the Dodgers consider going after a more dependable closer and move Kenley Jansen to a set up role?
-- @byreezy2

They could have and didn’t when Craig Kimbrel was available, without needing to trade away top prospects. This management team tries hard not to tip its hand on any internal tactics, but its track record is clear. It will trade prospects, but not the best ones. It will be creative and aggressive, willing to take on some salary, but usually players in their final season before free agency. And it generally does not trade players off the current 25-man roster. It has landed at the Deadline big fish like Manny Machado, Yu Darvish and Rich Hill, but seems equally satisfied unearthing second-tier players like Alex Wood, Tony Cingrani or Carlos Ruiz. As for Jansen, while this isn’t his best season, he’s still better this year than almost every reliever available and except for Kimbrel he’s probably the most consistent and dominant closer since Mariano Rivera retired. He’s a victim of his own success, having set the bar so high.

What will be the cost of a premier reliever?
-- @raider_chucky

Last summer, the Indians traded the best catching prospect in the game (according to MLB Pipeline), Francisco Mejia, for relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber. According to MLB Pipeline, the top five prospects in the Dodgers system are catcher Keibert Ruiz, shortstop Gavin Lux, pitcher Dustin May, pitcher Tony Gonsolin and catcher Will Smith. If I was Giants president Farhan Zaidi and the Dodgers wanted, say, reliever Will Smith, I would want two of those five. And if I was the Dodgers, I wouldn’t trade two of those five. With so many clubs still in the race for Wild Card berths, and no trades allowed after July 31, the supply of relievers available might be disappointing and the cost might be excessive. This front office already traded Yordan Alvarez for Josh Fields, a reminder of how Deadline trades can backfire. The previous front office acquired Casey Blake in a trade for Carlos Santana and another Minor Leaguer. Blake retired eight years ago. Santana is an All-Star this year.

Soooo...*whispers* Is Belly in a slump?
-- @JonathanLingo

*whispers* Yes. But, really, only if you expected Cody Bellinger to sustain a .431 average with a 1.397 OPS, as he was at the end of April, or .404/1.271, as he was through May 21, the last time he was above .400. Since then, he’s “slumped” to bat .271, bringing down his average to .346 with a 1.137 OPS. It should be noted that last week Dave Roberts revealed that Bellinger has been dealing with left knee patellar tendinitis that developed when the Dodgers played on artificial turf against Tampa Bay, coincidentally May 21-22.

Will Smith status?
-- @palmsprings1988

Obviously, you noticed that the Dodgers’ catching prospect hasn’t played since being optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City last Wednesday. According to the club, Smith has some side soreness and officials are “erring on the side of caution” before he returns.

Can A.J. Pollock be reasonably traded without retaining salary?
-- @Neeebski

No, and a front office willing to give him a four-year guarantee only five months ago won’t abandon ship on him so quickly, either. Regardless of what the fans might think, this front office likes the player. Pollock is working out as if his elbow is healed and Roberts said he will be the center fielder when he returns.

Can you see Dodgers packaging Joc Pederson in a trade for an upper-tier relief pitcher?
-- @Sandnsaline

The Dodgers were rumored ready to deal Pederson to the White Sox if they had signed Bryce Harper. Alex Verdugo’s arrival makes Pederson more expendable, but only once Pollock returns. Pederson will be a free agent after 2020, so it’s unlikely he would be enticing enough for a club to take only him for an “upper tier” reliever. The experiment moving him to first base during the season is asking a lot, but he’s on pace for a nearly 40-homer season.