Ryan Dempster

According to Scott Miller of CBSSports.com, the Dodgers are engaged in trade talks for Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, and those talks apparently gained steam Monday.

Dempster has been one of the most coveted trade deadline pieces, but a deal has yet to get done for him even on the eve of the trade deadline. The Cubs and Braves could not complete a trade last week when Dempster refused to waive his no-trade clause.

Miller indicated the Dodgers initially seemed more interested in another Cubs starter, Matt Garza. He also wrote that the Cubs originally wanted highly touted prospect Zach Lee in exchange for Dempster, a guy considered off-limits by the Dodgers.

The Dodgers acquired Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins last week and have moved into a first-place tie with the Giants in the NL West.

Dempster, 35, is 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA, which is the second-best starter ERA in the NL.