Looking to solidify their starting rotation and bullpen last season, the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-team, 13-player trade with the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins that aimed to fill both needs.
The deal sent starting pitchers Bronson Arroyo, Mat Latos and Alex Wood and relievers Luis Avilan and Jim Johnson, first baseman Michael Morse and utility man Jose Peraza to the Dodgers.
Arroyo’s inclusion in the trade was purely a salary dump by the Braves as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the Dodgers quickly flipped Morse to the Pirates.
Of the four pitchers who were part of the picture in Los Angeles, none got off to a rousing start with their new club.
Avilan and Wood were with the Dodgers when the postseason began, while Latos was designated for assignment and released in September, and Johnson suffered the same fate in October soon after getting left off the club’s postseason roster.
Avilan was one of six Dodgers tendered a contract by the deadline last December. He also was among of the players who filed for salary arbitration on Tuesday.
Just as they managed to do with Chris Hatcher and Scott Van Slyke, Los Angeles will avoid arbitration with Avilan as the left-hander re-signed on a one-year contract, according to Jon Heyman, who accidentally notes the agreement is with the Braves:
luis avilan, braves agree at $1.39M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016
Last season Avilan earned $530,000 and was projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to make $1.1 million in 2016.
After being traded to the Dodgers, Avilan made 23 relief appearances. He held a 5.17 ERA, 3.64 FIP and 1.15 WHIP in those outings. The 26 year old managed to overcome the rough stretch and eventually found his footing to solidify himself as a late-inning option.
Including time with the Atlanta Braves, Avilan finished the 2015 season with 4.05 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.18 WHIP and 49 strikeouts to 15 walks in 53.1 innings (73 appearances).
