The Dodgers are reportedly making a late run at Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and reliever Heath Bell. Major league sources claim that the Dodgers could acquire the players in separate deals or a multi-player blockbuster. It is believed that Los Angeles would include first baseman James Loney in a deal with San Diego if Gonzalez is involved.

The Brewers have reacquired reliever Claudio Vargas from the Dodgers. Milwaukee sent minor league catcher Vinny Rottino to Los Angeles to complete the trade. Vargas won 11 games for the Brewers in 2007, but was released before the start of the 2008 season.

The Dodgers improved their bullpen Thursday by acquiring Orioles closer George Sherrill in exchange for two prospects, third baseman Josh Bell and pitcher Steve Johnson, according to baseball sources. Sherrill can serve as a set-up man, or share the closer role with Jonathan Broxton. The Dodgers still are hoping to acquire a starting pitcher and are rumored to still be pursuing Toronto's Roy Halladay.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox have become the frontrunners to acquire Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, according to baseball sources. Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi has asked for as many as a half-dozen prospects in return for Halladay. Starters Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw have not been offered, and neither have any of the team?s starting position players. Boston's offer includes top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz, as Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday. The Blue Jays also have been given the choice of reliever Justin Masterson, Triple-A pitcher Michael Bowden or Double-A first baseman Lars Anderson, with lesser prospects from the farm system filling out the Boston offer.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is believed to be considering the inclusion of Chad Billingsley in an offer for Roy Halladay. Colletti has made Clayton Kershaw untouchable, but the addition of Billingsley to an offer could convince Toronto to send Halladay to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers have emphatically denied rumors that they are discussing a blockbuster deal with the Indians. FOX Sports reported on Sunday that Los Angeles was talking to Cleveland about a trade that would net them Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez for James Loney and one of their young pitchers. "It's completely false," a Dodgers executive said.

The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that the Reds and Dodgers have discussed a deal involving outfielder Juan Pierre and reliever Arthur Rhodes.

The Dodgers and Indians are having trade discussions, but it is unclear exactly what they are talking about. Top-level officials from both teams strongly denied a report claiming that they are talking about a blockbuster trade that would send Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez to Cleveland for first baseman James Loney. Those players have at least been mentioned in trade talks, according to FOX Sports.

Manny Ramirez is day to day after being hit by a pitch in the Dodgers? game against the Reds on Tuesday night, according to an Associated Press report. A team spokesman says Ramirez has been hit on the side of his left hand by a pitch from Homer Bailey leading off the third inning. He was replaced by pinch runner Juan Pierre. Ramirez went to a hospital for precautionary X-rays, which were negative.

Jason Schmidt won in his return to the Dodgers on Monday night, and Manny Ramirez drilled a memorable home run. Los Angeles defeated Cincinnati by a score of 7-5 at Dodger Stadium. "I had hoped to just go out there and make it respectable but I'm happy with the result," Schmidt said. Schmidt gave up three runs over five innings, and topped out at about 87 miles per hour on the radar gun. "Everybody was really happy for him, getting through five innings and coming out with the victory," said manager Joe Torre. Ramirez hit the 537th home run of his career, breaking a tie with Mickey Mantle for 15th place on baseball's all-time list.