Column: Will the Dodgers open their wallets again?

There was a time when little effort was required to predict what the Dodgers would do to upgrade their roster.

They would spend. And if that wasn’t enough, they would spend some more.

Guggenheim ownership always described this as a short-term solution, explaining the model was unsustainable. In the last year, the shift in approach has been noticeable; the Dodgers have avoided expensive long-term commitments, and as a result have been left with Scott Kazmir instead of Zack Greinke and Kenta Maeda rather than Johnny Cueto.

With the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline approaching, the question now is whether the Dodgers feel the need to spend this season.

The team is treading water around the .500 mark and its offense is sputtering. While rookies Corey Seager and Trayce Thompson have outperformed expectations, Adrian Gonzalez’s power has been diminished by persistent back and neck problems. Justin Turner is still finding his legs after spending the winter recovering from a knee operation. Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal haven’t had the bounce-back seasons the front office was counting on.

In short, the Dodgers lineup could use an upgrade.

Acquiring a premium hitter in a trade typically requires an organization to part with multiple high-end prospects, which runs counter to the Dodgers’ stated objective of fortifying the farm system.

The simple solution for the Dodgers would be to reopen their wallets.

If they go that route, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun could be available.

The former National League most valuable player remains a solid producer. He is batting .307 with 11 home runs and 36 runs batted in. And his history with performance-enhancing drugs would presumably be a nonissue for the Dodgers, who have already taken in a previously suspended player in Grandal.

The Dodgers are one of only six teams to which Braun couldn’t block a trade. The Brewers are already out of contention and figure to be open to moving him.

What would give the Dodgers pause is Braun’s contract, and understandably so. Braun is owed more than $80 million through his age-36 season, 2020.

If the Dodgers trade for him, there could come a day when they view Braun’s contract as they did Carl Crawford’s.

The Dodgers recently released Crawford with $35 million remaining on his deal. They knew it might come to that when they traded for him in 2012 as part of a package that included Gonzalez, but it was a luxury they could afford.

The next six weeks will let us know if it’s something they can still afford.

Below-the-belt shot

Taking a grounder to the groin area is no laughing matter, especially if the baseball was hit by Mike Trout.

But Cleveland Indians third baseman Juan Uribe had a good sense of humor about the 106-mph rocket Trout hit that struck him over the weekend, telling reporters, “No more babies.”

Steph being Steph

With all the criticism directed at Stephen Curry for how he has performed in the NBA Finals, you wonder if anyone remembers that he sprained his knee in the opening round of the playoffs.

It’s not as if Curry has a history of choking. He averaged 26 points in the Finals last year.

Messi, the limited edition

Diego Maradona was overheard telling Pele at a recent sponsorship event that Lionel Messi lacked the personality to be a leader.

What Maradona said was true, but Messi’s on-field disposition is as much a reflection of the soccer today as it is of Messi.

When Maradona played, he was allowed to impose himself on the game as he pleased — he was allowed to roam to any part of the field that he wanted. But modern tactics have turned even the most creative players into specialists of sorts.

In Messi’s case, he is largely limited to receiving the ball on the right flank with Barcelona, or behind the center forward with Argentina’s national team.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

@dylanohernandez