UPDATE (July 8, 3:45 p.m. PT): The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Alec Grosser as the player to be named later, completing their June 30 trade with the Atlanta Braves.
The Los Angeles Dodgers addressed their immediate pitching need by trading for Atlanta Braves right-hander Bud Norris. Los Angeles also received Minor League outfielder Dian Toscano, a player to be named later and cash considerations from the Braves.
Ian Thomas was designated for assignment to clear room for Norris on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster. Minor League relief pitchers Caleb Dirks and Philip Pfeifer were sent to Atlanta in the deal. The Dodgers traded an international bonus slot to the Braves last July to acquire Dirks and Jordan Paroubeck.
Dirks went 3-2 with a 2.87 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 35 strikeouts over 31.1 innings in 28 games with Double-A Tulsa this season. Pfeifer, the Dodgers’ third-round selection in the 2015 Draft, was 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 14 games with High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
Norris went 1-4 with an 8.74 ERA over five starts in April and lost his spot in the Braves’ rotation. He returned in June and was 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in five starts. Norris last pitched Sunday, throwing seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets.
That has him on track to start for the Dodgers on Friday, when Clayton Kershaw would have if not for his expected stint on the disabled list. Norris this season is 3-7 with a 4.22 ERA, 3.84 FIP and 1.37 WHIP over 22 games (10 starts); he’s 3-5 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.42 ERA as a starter.
Toscano, a 27-year-old Cuban native, hit .226/.310/.271 with two doubles, three triples, 10 RBIs, 22 walks and 53 strikeouts in 203 plate appearances over 58 games with the Braves’ Double-A Mississippi.
Toscano signed a four-year, $6 million contract with the Braves in December 2014. However, visa issues prevented him from joining the organization until November 2015.
