For the various trades the Los Angeles Dodgers have made under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman one that didn’t garner much attention was a swap of left-handed Minor League pitchers in July 2015.
Los Angeles received Grant Dayton from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Chris Reed. Dayton was selected by the Marlins in the 11th round of the 2010 Draft, while Reed was the Dodgers’ first-round pick (No. 16 overall) in 2011.
Dayton reported to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he posted a 9.26 ERA in nine games, prompting the Dodgers to demote him to Double-A Tulsa. Dayton had success with the Drillers, yielding a 2.53 ERA in eight games to close out the season.
He began 2016 with Tulsa and posted a 2.30 ERA over 12 games, which earned a promotion to Oklahoma City. Dayton recorded 63 strikeouts and sported a 2.48 ERA over 26 games in Triple-A.
Dayton recently discussed what positive came out of being sent down to Double-A had, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“I don’t think it was a demotion, but being in Triple-A three years, going back to Double-A hurt,” Dayton said. “I don’t care what they say to me, it hurt. Looking back on it, I needed it, because I took a different mindset on the mound. I was ticked off, and I learned that helps me. I hate talking about my year, but it’s been since that point. I think it helped me a lot and let me learn a little about myself. I thought I knew who I was, but I found another level I could reach on the mound.”
Dayton was called up in July, made his Major League debut on July 22, and has been a staple with the Dodgers since last month.
The 28-year-old owns a 1.71 ERA, 3.24 FIP and 0.71 WHIP in 18 games (21 innings); he’s strung together 10 consecutive scoreless appearances. Dayton has also continued to strike out batters at a high clip, as he has 28 strikeouts to six walks.
He’s emerged as a trustworthy option for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who has placed the rookie reliever in high-pressure moments on multiple instances. Dayton said one reason for success is the ability to simplify and focus on the situation he’s in.
