The Los Angeles Dodgers attacked this year’s trade deadline with an aggressive approach, aiming for depth while also looking for impact pieces that were the main goal.
Solidifying the roster with useful pieces to supplement the lineup proved to be the direction that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes went with. Rumors around possible trades for Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr., or Tampa Bay Rays star Randy Arozarena, never came to fruition.
The first piece to fall was James Paxton being designated for assignment, so Dodgers rookie River Ryan could make his MLB debut. Paxton was then traded to the Boston Red Sox for 17-year-old prospect Moises Bolivar.
Playing for the Red Sox Dominican Summer League team, Bolivar hit .270/.364/.423 with six doubles, one triple, three home runs and 19 RBI through 31 games.
Ricky Vanasco made his Major League debut earlier this season, but was designated for assignment when the Dodgers signed Nick Ahmed. Vanasco was traded to the Detroit Tigers on July 29 in exchange for cash considerations.
In a three-team trade, the Dodgers acquired Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals and Michael Kopech from the White Sox.
The Dodgers sent out Miguel Vargas, cash considerations or a player to be named later, plus prospects Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus in the deal.
Edman has not appeared in a game this season, recovering from wrist surgery and recently being sidelined with an ankle sprain. The Dodgers are hopeful Edman join the roster around mid-August. Kopech figures to be a key piece to the backend of the bullpen.
Averaging a fastball in the upper-90s, Kopech has the ceiling of being a big-time closer, which is what the Dodgers are hopeful for. Kopech’s biggest issue is walks, an area his new club will focus on honing in.
For the second consecutive season, the Dodgers acquired Amed Rosario, this time from the Tampa Bay Rays. Due only around $500,000 the remainder of the season, the veteran has been solid this year, batting .307/.331/.417 across 275 plate appearances.
Shoring up their outfield, the Dodgers traded Ryan Yarbrough to the Toronto Blue Jays for four-time Gold Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier.
Kiermaier hasn’t been effective at the plate this season, but his glove is still playing at an elite level.
The big move came in the final minutes until the deadline, after the Dodgers struck a trade with Tigers for Jack Flaherty. Sending out minor league pieces Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo, the best starting pitcher moved at the deadline, was acquired for less than many had predicted — perhaps due to concern over a back injury.
Flaherty has bounced back this season, having a career year in many areas of his game. In 18 starts with the Tigers, he pitched to a 2.95 ERA with the best strikeout rate of his career at 32%.
Dodgers prospects traded at 2024 deadline
Jeral Perez
Representing the Dodgers in the Futures Game at Globe Life Field during 2024 All-Star Week, Perez has been a productive player in Low-A, batting .264/.380/.420 with 15 doubles and 10 home runs in 75 games.
Perez has seen time at three infield positions, logging most of his work at second base, also slotting in at third base and shortstop.
Alexander Albertus
Albertus reportedly won’t play for the rest of the 2024 season due to a stress fracture in his left tibia, but projects to be a quality prospect. Between two levels of the Minor Leagues, the 19-year-old batted .298/.420/.409 with 11 doubles, three home runs and a 124 wRC+ in 51 games.
Thayron Liranzo
Part of a deep collection of Dodgers catching prospects, Liranzo hit .220/.344/.356 with 15 doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI over 74 games with the Loons in High-A great Lakes.
Liranzo is a big player going back to the Tigers, having the ceiling of a top prospect within an organization.
Trey Sweeney
Sweeney was with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he batted .254/.334/.427 with 22 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 62 RBI in 96 games.
There was some thought that Sweeney could factor into the Dodgers’ plans this season, but that never came to fruition. He was in a crowded group of middling shortstop prospects within the Dodgers farm system, now left with Joendry Vargas, Alex Freeland and Emil Morales.
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