clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Cubs Trade Rumors: Ryan Dempster To Dodgers 'Very Unlikely' Due To High Asking Price

Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein hasn't been shy about telling the media that the organization is looking to acquire pitching prospects in trade prior to the non-waiver deadline on July 31, but the asking price for veteran hurler Ryan Dempster may be too high at the moment. The Los Angeles Dodgers had been the odds-on favorite to trade for Dempster, and talks had reached an advanced stage prior to Dempster's start on Friday, but now the Dodgers are "very unlikely" to do a deal for Dempster according to a source close to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Are the Dodgers using a hard line stance to back Epstein and the Cubs off their high asking price, or have they truly moved on? As the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline continues to creep up on contenders looking for a final piece to the puzzle the landscape could change in an instant.

Could Dempster's desire for an extension be a hold-up in the deal? He holds full no-trade rights, and Peggy Kusinski of NBC Chicago says he may be trying to gain some long-term stability in a deal:

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more comprehensive coverage, visit Cubs blog Bleed Cubbie Blue. For more MLB coverage, check out Baseball Nation as well as MLB Daily Dish.