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Dodgers gain flexibility after blockbuster trade with Reds
LOS ANGELES -- In a seven-player trade that moved upward of $70 million in salary commitments, the Los Angeles Dodgers opened significant payroll space, cleared two major league surpluses off their roster and positioned themselves to make major moves, both in free agency and through the trade market. Whether they pursue them remains to be seen.
Earlier Friday, the Dodgers sent starting pitcher Alex Wood and his two most decorated outfielders, Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Dodgers took on the bloated contract of struggling right-hander Homer Bailey -- who will be subsequently released -- and acquired two intriguing prospects in middle infielder Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray. Backup catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer and $7 million were also sent to the Reds.
In the deal, the Dodgers will save roughly $17 million off their luxury tax payroll for 2019 and will clear enough room in their outfield to potentially pursue free agents Bryce Harper or A.J. Pollock. Signing Harper, however, could push the Dodgers back over the luxury-tax threshold unless they move more salary.
Bailey -- owed $23 million in 2019 and counting $17.5 million toward the luxury tax, which uses the average annual value of contracts -- waived his 10-and-5 rights under the condition that he would become a free agent immediately. Kemp, Puig and Wood are all scheduled to become free agents after the 2019 season.
The Dodgers and Reds had been talking about a trade of this nature since the onset of the offseason, with discussions picking up steam at the winter meetings in Las Vegas last week.
Bailey, 32, went 1-14 for the last-place Reds in 2018 and posted a 6.25 ERA in 46 starts over the past four years.
Puig, the boisterous right fielder who had been the subject of trade rumors for several years, is projected to make about $11 million in his final year of arbitration and will be reunited with Turner Ward, the former Dodgers hitting coach who was hired for the same role with the Reds last month. Friedman chuckled when asked to describe Puig's tumultuous run with the Dodgers.
Puig often enraged opponents and bewildered fans. He fell out of favor with the organization late in the 2016 season and never quite lived up to the promise he flashed as a rookie. But Puig was nonetheless productive over the past two years, slashing .264/.337/.490 in 277 games while displaying Gold Glove-caliber defense at times. The 28-year-old posted a heartfelt message on his Twitter account after the deal was announced.
Kemp, 34, resurrected his career in his return to the Dodgers in 2018, making the All-Star team and finishing with a 121 adjusted OPS despite fading in the second half. Wood, a 27-year-old left-hander, has gone 25-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 304 innings with the Dodgers the past two years, but he was demoted to an undefined bullpen role down the stretch in 2018. Farmer, 28, hit .250 in 59 games the past two years.
Downs, a former first-round pick who was ranked seventh in the Reds' system by MLB.com, impressed in his first full season since high school in 2018, batting .257/.351/.402 with 13 home runs and 37 stolen bases. Gray, a shortstop-turned-starting pitcher in college, had a 2.92 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP and a 3.47 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12 rookie-ball starts.
Earlier Friday, the Dodgers sent starting pitcher Alex Wood and his two most decorated outfielders, Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Dodgers took on the bloated contract of struggling right-hander Homer Bailey -- who will be subsequently released -- and acquired two intriguing prospects in middle infielder Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray. Backup catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer and $7 million were also sent to the Reds.
In the deal, the Dodgers will save roughly $17 million off their luxury tax payroll for 2019 and will clear enough room in their outfield to potentially pursue free agents Bryce Harper or A.J. Pollock. Signing Harper, however, could push the Dodgers back over the luxury-tax threshold unless they move more salary.
Bailey -- owed $23 million in 2019 and counting $17.5 million toward the luxury tax, which uses the average annual value of contracts -- waived his 10-and-5 rights under the condition that he would become a free agent immediately. Kemp, Puig and Wood are all scheduled to become free agents after the 2019 season.
The Dodgers and Reds had been talking about a trade of this nature since the onset of the offseason, with discussions picking up steam at the winter meetings in Las Vegas last week.
Bailey, 32, went 1-14 for the last-place Reds in 2018 and posted a 6.25 ERA in 46 starts over the past four years.
Puig, the boisterous right fielder who had been the subject of trade rumors for several years, is projected to make about $11 million in his final year of arbitration and will be reunited with Turner Ward, the former Dodgers hitting coach who was hired for the same role with the Reds last month. Friedman chuckled when asked to describe Puig's tumultuous run with the Dodgers.
Puig often enraged opponents and bewildered fans. He fell out of favor with the organization late in the 2016 season and never quite lived up to the promise he flashed as a rookie. But Puig was nonetheless productive over the past two years, slashing .264/.337/.490 in 277 games while displaying Gold Glove-caliber defense at times. The 28-year-old posted a heartfelt message on his Twitter account after the deal was announced.
Kemp, 34, resurrected his career in his return to the Dodgers in 2018, making the All-Star team and finishing with a 121 adjusted OPS despite fading in the second half. Wood, a 27-year-old left-hander, has gone 25-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 304 innings with the Dodgers the past two years, but he was demoted to an undefined bullpen role down the stretch in 2018. Farmer, 28, hit .250 in 59 games the past two years.
Downs, a former first-round pick who was ranked seventh in the Reds' system by MLB.com, impressed in his first full season since high school in 2018, batting .257/.351/.402 with 13 home runs and 37 stolen bases. Gray, a shortstop-turned-starting pitcher in college, had a 2.92 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP and a 3.47 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12 rookie-ball starts.