New FSM Essential Feature – Dodgers 2021 Trade Deadline Deals
Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is upon us. But the Dodgers didn’t waste time waiting to make a deadline deal, as they pulled off a blockbuster trade that strengthens their chance to repeat as champions.
According to multiple reports, the Dodgers pulled off the blockbuster of the season. According to reports, Los Angeles acquired Cy-Young Award-winning pitcher Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner from the Washington Nationals.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news shortly after 5:00 Thursday evening.
Earlier on Thursday, the Padres reportedly were close to acquiring Scherzer. More reports began to come out that although the trade was close, it was still not finalized yet, and other teams were still involved.
What a deal for the Dodgers, as they acquire two difference makers. In Scherzer, they get one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. He’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and has been excellent for the Nationals this season. Having 10/5 rights, Scherzer would have to approve a trade to the Dodgers, and it looks like he wants to go to Los Angeles for a chance at winning his second championship.
The Dodgers also acquired one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. On the season, he’s hitting .322 with an OPS of .890. He has 18 home runs and has driven in 49 runs. In addition to shortstop, Turner adds defensive versatility as he can slide over to second base and center field when Corey Seager returns from the injured list.
Turner is under contract through the end of 2022, so this gives L.A. an option at shortstop moving forward if they don’t bring back Seager.
The Dodgers had to part with some key prospects in order to complete the trade.
Keibert Ruiz was the No. 1 prospect in the Dodgers’ organization. He’s been a top 100 prospect for years, and he’s likely going to be special. But with Will Smith looking like the future catcher and Diego Cartaya coming up, this made Ruiz expendable. It’s tough, but the expectation was he’d be traded in part of a deal.
The shocker comes with Josiah Gray, who just made his MLB debut last week. He’s the best pitcher in the Dodgers’ organization and looks to be part of the rotation moving forward. However, when you can get two players of this magnitude, you got to pull the trigger.
By parting ways with Gray, it likely helped the Dodgers avoid parting ways with more top-tier talent. The Dodgers also included pitcher Gerardo Carrillo and outfielder Donovan Casey.
Earlier in the day, the Dodgers also added even more pitching depth.
The Los Angeles Dodgers also finalized a deal to acquire left-hander Danny Duffy from the Kansas City Royals for a player to be named later. Duffy was a 10/5 man, meaning he played 10 years in the majors, five with the same team, and due to Major League Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, Duffy could have vetoed the trade.
The die-hard Lakers fan didn’t veto the trade and now will head to L.A. and have the role that Julio Urias served in last season.
Duffy is on the 10-day injured list with a left flexor strain, which previously caused him to miss six weeks this season.
He returned June 23 and pitched to a 3.72 ERA in six games (five starts), though he didn’t go more than five innings in any of those appearances.
Overall this season, Duffy is 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA, 4.17 FIP, and 1.32 WHIP in 13 games (12 starts). He is in the final season of a five-year, $65 million contract signed with the Royals before the 2017 campaign.
The 32-year-old left-hander has spent his whole career in Kansas City since being drafted by the Royals in the third round in 2007. He made his debut in 2011 and has pitched in 234 games as a Royal, including 204 starts, going 68–68 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.32 WHIP while averaging eight strikeouts per nine innings. His strikeout total has ticked up in recent years. His 9.6 K/9 while healthy this season marked a career-best.
The Dodgers have until 1pm today to complete any trades and look to be still be active in adding more bullpen help and possibly another bat off the bench.
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Joe Arrigo – Franchise Sports Media
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