Dodgers trade rumors: Ricky Nolasco, Matt Garza on radar, per report

The Dodgers might be nine games under .500 and eight games out of first place in the National League West, but that doesn't mean the team won't be actively pursuing upgrades at the trade deadline. After all, they didn't spend $230 million to be sellers. Two names the club is reportedly interested in are Ricky Nolasco and Matt Garza, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Rosenthal reports that the Giants, Padres and Rockies are also in pursuit of Nolasco, but that "their talks have not progressed to the point where a deal is close."

Jayson Stark of ESPN called Nolasco his most likely player to be traded before the July 31 deadline, and also mentioned the Giants and Orioles as the likely best fits for the right-hander.

Nolasco is the the final season of a three-year, $26.5 million contract that in many ways was the template used for Chad Billingsley's three-year, $35 million deal. So perhaps it's only fitting that the Dodgers try to fill a hole left in part by Billingsley being out for the season after Tommy John surgery.

Nolasco is 4-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 16 starts for the Marlins this season with 77 strikeouts and 25 walks. At $11.5 million this season, Nolasco has just over $6 million remaining due in salary in 2013.

Rosenthal also mentions the Dodgers and Padres in pursuit of Matt Garza, who will also be a free agent after this season. Garza is 2-1 with a 4.25 ERA in seven starts with the Cubs, with 37 strikeouts and 14 walks. Garza missed nearly two months to start this season with a lat injury and missed the second half of 2012 with an elbow injury.

Garza has a $10.25 million salary this season, so if traded now would have roughly $5.3 million remaining.