Pirates Asking Price From Dodgers for Felipe Vazquez is Absurdly High and it Absolutely Should Be

The All-Star Game has come and gone, and now the next big thing on the MLB calendar is the trade deadline.

Contending teams will be looking everywhere to improve their respective rosters, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, who look like one of the best teams in baseball, sans additions.

The Dodgers need to augment their bullpen, of course, just like most teams in rarefied air. Towards the top of that list of wants and needs is Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez. However, it will take a lot to pry him out of the Steel City.

Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that the asking price for the Dodgers for Vazquez would be at least two of their top prospects, picking from catcher Keibert Ruiz, infielder Gavin Lux, pitcher Dustin May or catcher/infielder Will Smith, who are all top-100 prospects according to MLB.com.

If that's the price tag, I doubt the Dodgers will want to part with two of any of those prospects. It might seem like a lot on the surface, but the Pirates should be asking for that much.

Vazquez is not some back end reliever on a mediocre team. He's been an All-Star in back-to-back years, and in four seasons in Pittsburgh, he owns a 2.30 ERA with an 11.8 K/9 and 78 saves, including a 2.11 ERA and 14.1 K/9 this season.

The Pirates may not even make Vazquez available, as they are just 2.5 games out of the NL Central lead. However, they've been around .500 all season, and could move him with the idea of grabbing a massive haul of young talent.

Any takers?