Transactions – Page 13 – Dodger Thoughts

On August 13, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

Wave him home, @redturn2. pic.twitter.com/okHYDdQaSH

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 13, 2015

Reds at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Mat Latos, P

By Jon Weisman

Fresh from moonlighting with Kiké Hernandez and Joc Pederson at Southwest Airlines this morning, Justin Turner has been activated from the disabled list.

Turner, who has been sidelined since July 26, is available off the bench today and expected to start Friday, according to Don Mattingly.

Jose Peraza, who tripled and walked in seven plate appearances, has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Technically, Turner has reached base in 10 consecutive games (July 12-26), going 17 for 37 with a .487 on-base percentage and .757 slugging percentage in that time.

Below, here are more tweets from today’s Dodger-Southwest promotion.

What if the Dodgers had traded a 19-year-old Clayton Kershaw?

On August 12, 2015

In History, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

Pitching prospect Julio Urias turned 19 today, 19 and still a Dodger, 12 days after the MLB non-waiver trade deadline.

Among other things, the occasion made me wonder whom a 19-year-old Clayton Kershaw might have been traded for, back in 2007.

Dodgers recall Yimi Garcia, place Joel Peralta on disabled list

On August 11, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

Nationals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. Jimmy Rollins, SS
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Yimi Garcia has returned to the Dodgers from Triple-A Oklahoma City, with Joel Peralta going on the disabled list with a right neck strain.

In his past six games — five in the minors, one July 28 with the Dodgers — Garcia hasn’t allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings, scattering six baserunners while striking out six. With the Dodgers this year, Garcia — who turns 25 a week from today — has a 3.99 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Peralta, who has been having trouble finishing pitches, has allowed 12 runs in 14 1/3 innings since coming off the disabled list in June. Before that, in April, he pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Dodger bullpen has allowed runs in nine of its past 10 games, but don’t blame Pedro Baez. He has a streak of 11 consecutive scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts against eight baserunners. Forced into action Monday after others were used Sunday, Baez and Kenley Jansen combined to strike out seven of the nine batters they faced, using 35 pitches.

At 21, Jose Peraza called up for MLB debut — youngest Dodger since Kershaw

On August 10, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

Nationals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Jose Peraza, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Alex Guerrero, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

“Life moves pretty fast,” warned Ferris Bueller, no doubt with Jose Peraza in mind.

With Howie Kendrick and his strained left hamstring officially headed to the disabled list, Peraza — the 21-year-old infielder acquired from Atlanta in the Dodgers’ July 30 three-team deal — has been called up to make his Major League debut for Los Angeles.

Born on April 30, 1994 — the day that the Dodgers rallied from a 10-5, eighth-inning deficit to beat the Mets — Peraza is poised to become the youngest Dodger since Clayton Kershaw made his debut on May 25, 2008 at 20 years and 67 days. And, he’ll be the Dodgers’ youngest position player since Adrian Beltre, who was 19 when he was called up in 1998.

Peraza has a .318 on-base percentage and .379 slugging percentage in Triple-A this season, numbers that have soared to .415 and .590 since moving to Oklahoma City. He has also stolen 27 bases in 34 attempts this year.

Kendrick has a .341 OBP and .418 slugging percentage in his first season with the Dodgers and is fifth among National League second basemen in wins above replacement. Since July 20, Kendrick was hitting .396/.420/.583.

Also tonight, Scott Van Slyke is making his second career start batting in the No. 3 spot, and first since May 15, 2012. Kiké Hernandez is making his third career start batting fifth.

Also, Carlos Frias is back on the disabled list with lower back tightness. Frias was optioned to the minors earlier this month, but technically, that action has been voided.

Update: Van Slyke and Puig have shifted spots in the lineup.

Dodger catching goes from worst to first

On August 4, 2015

In Catching, Pregame, Transactions

Yasmani Grandal has a .997 OPS since May 1. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Alex Wood, P

By Jon Weisman

How’s this for a transformation?

Last year, Dodger catchers were 29th in the Major Leagues with a .544 OPS. This year, they’re first, with an .853 OPS.

For the most part, you can thank Yasmani Grandal, who leads all MLB starting catchers with a .928 OPS behind the plate. (His .401 on-base percentage also is No. 1, while his .527 slugging is best in the National League.)

In smaller doses, A.J. Ellis and Austin Barnes have chipped in.

Ellis, activated from the disabled list today, has a .429 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage in 57 plate appearances since May 26. Overall, his OPS behind the plate is .667 in 105 plate appearances.

Barnes, who is returning to Triple-A Oklahoma City, went 3 for 10 with a double, walk and a hit-by-pitch in his second Dodger stint, for a .817 OPS. His overall OPS for the Dodgers is .722 in 18 plate appearances.

Add in Grandal’s MLB-leading pitch-framing numbers, according to Baseball Prospectus, and the team’s above-average rate of throwing out would-be basestealers, and it’s clear how dramatically improved the Dodgers are behind the plate.

(In wins above replacement, Fangraphs lists the Dodgers as No. 2 in the big leagues behind the Giants, though this includes Buster Posey’s 91 plate appearances as a first baseman, in which he has a .429 OBP and .600 slugging. In any case, this is heady company to be in.)

Mat Latos ready for Dodger debut, as Yimi Garcia is optioned

On August 2, 2015

In Pitching, Pregame, Transactions

Angels at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Mat Latos, P

By Jon Weisman

For the first two days of August, none of the players acquired by the Dodgers at the non-waiver trade deadline have been used. That changes today, when Mat Latos makes his first start for Los Angeles.

Latos is pitching on six days’ rest. In his final start for Miami, on July 26, he allowed three runs in six innings of a 3-2 loss at San Diego.

One thing I spotted with Latos — and honestly, I hadn’t noticed anything like this before — is that he has thrown four consecutive quality starts without exceeding 90 pitches. If he does it again, he will tie an MLB record, held by Bob Tewksbury, Marvin Freeman and Greg Maddux.

In his past five starts, Latos has averaged 6.5 innings per start and 13.2 pitches per inning. He has struck out 26 and walked five in that time.

To make room for Latos on the active roster, the Dodgers optioned Yimi Garcia to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Garcia, who has a 3.99 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings for the Dodgers this year, returned July 26 from a mid-July trip to Oklahoma City and pitched a shutout inning against Oakland on Tuesday. With 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings this season, Garcia still has great promise.

The revamped Dodger bullpen now features Kenley Jansen, Jim Johnson, Pedro Baez, Juan Nicasio and Joel Peralta from the right side, and J.P. Howell and Luis Avilan from the left. Jansen, who has allowed runs in his past three outings, has been battling a virus for the past week, as Steve Bourbon of MLB.com notes.

If a save situation were to arise today, Jansen would likely get the day off after throwing 50 pitches over the past two games. Conceivably, the Dodgers could use all newcomers on the mound, with Latos, Avilan and Johnson. (Neither Johnson nor Avilan have pitched since Monday.)

By the time Alex Wood starts for the Dodgers on Tuesday, he could be the Dodgers’ 50th player of the season. The team record is 53, set in 1944 and 1998.

Farhan Zaidi offers insight into dealmaking process

By Jon Weisman

As you might suspect, Major League trades — especially when there’s a deadline — don’t come in a neat and tidy process. It’s sloppy and time-consuming and anything but linear.

Tonight, Dodger general manager Farhan Zaidi spoke tonight the Dodgers’ deadline deals, and offered some interesting perspective about how they actually get approached and executed.

Here is a sampling of what he said. Well, not really a sampling — a rather large, detailed chunk …

Read More

Johnson, Avilan and Wood on becoming Dodgers

[mlbvideo id=”316039183″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

New Dodger pitchers Jim Johnson, Luis Avilan and Alex Wood spoke to reporters this afternoon about their trade from Atlanta to Los Angeles. (Mat Latos has not landed in Los Angeles yet) Watch the video above.

"I don't think it really gets any better than that." — Alex Wood on working next to Kershaw and Greinke

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) July 31, 2015

"(Kershaw) and Greinke and those other guys are probably gonna hate me, because I'm probably going to ask a million questions." – Alex Wood

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 1, 2015

— Jon Weisman

Turner placed on disabled list, Bolsinger and Lee optioned

In Health/injuries, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

To make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired pitchers Luis Avilan, Jim Johnson and Alex Wood, the Dodgers have optioned Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee to Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed Justin Turner on the 15-day disabled list.

Dodgers exchange Michael Morse for Jose Tabata

[mlbvideo id=”182371383″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]
By Jon Weisman

Michael Morse, who was designated for assignment Thursday by the Dodgers after coming to the organization in the Mat Latos deal, has been traded to the Pirates (with cash considerations) for outfielder Jose Tabata.

Tabata, 26, was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh with a .341 on-base percentage and .289 slugging percentage in 41 plate appearances (including one certain hit-by-pitch with two out in the ninth inning against no-hit throwing Max Scherzer of Washington). He is not on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster and will be assigned Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Tabata made his MLB debut at age 21 in 2010. He has a career .336 OBP and .377 slugging percentage in 1,765 plate appearances. His best year was in 2013, when he had a .771 OPS (118 OPS+)

Busy off day with trades and PingPong4Purpose

In Community, Transactions

[mlbvideo id=”314999183″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

By Jon Weisman

There was no Dodger game Thursday, but it wasn’t exactly a day for lounging on the couch at home.

In addition to all the player trades — which Don Mattingly, Orel Hershiser, Charley Steiner and A.J. Ellis react to above — Adrian Gonzalez hosted his Adrian Gonzalez Baseball ProCamp at Granada Hills Charter High School, as David Adler writes at MLB.com.

And of course, Clayton and Ellen Kershaw hosted their annual Kershaw’s Challenge PingPong4Purpose event, which was well attended by celebrities and ballplayers alike.

Steve Bourbon of MLB.com has a report from the event. Some video and photos follow.

Live-blog: Andrew Friedman discusses today’s deals

On July 30, 2015

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Dodger president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is speaking to reporters this evening about today’s three-team trade and other developments. Here’s a live-blog of his comments:

Beachy, Heisey, Tsao designated for assignment in roster shuffle

On July 30, 2015

Brandon Beachy (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

With today’s big transactions, the Dodgers had to reconfigure space on the 40-man roster to make all the pieces fit.

Three players who have suited up for the Dodgers this year — Brandon Beachy, Chris Heisey and Chin-hui Tsao — were designated for assignment.

A fourth, Chris Hatcher, was moved to the 60-day disabled list, meaning that he can’t be activated until mid-August.

Michael Morse, who came from Miami today, was also designated for assignment. Taking on Morse’s contract helped the Dodgers acquire Mat Latos without sacrificing more in prospects than Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo and Kevin Guzman.

Bronson Arroyo, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day disabled list, while infield prospect Jose Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Moving day brings major additions to Dodgers

On July 30, 2015