UPDATE (Jan. 23, 4:15 p.m.): The Los Angeles Dodgers made their trade for Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe official.
Since the Los Angeles Dodgers’ search for a second baseman became apparent, the club has regularly been connected to Tampa Bay’s Logan Forsythe, Detroit’s Ian Kinsler and Minnesota’s Brian Dozier.
The Dodgers reportedly viewed Kinsler as a strong fit for their roster, but for several weeks Dozier appeared the most-likely second baseman to wind up in Los Angeles. However, negotiations stalled over the Twins’ return and talks reached an impasse earlier this month.
At that point the Dodgers were expected to circle back to potential deals involving Forsythe and Kinsler. According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the Dodgers and Rays were nearing a trade centered around Forsythe:
Source: Dodgers, Rays deep into discussions on a deal that would send Logan Forsythe to Los Angeles. If medicals are good, deal will happen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 23, 2017
Shortly thereafter, the framework of a deal was in place, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times:
BREAKING: #Rays have agreed to trade Forsythe to #Dodgers for DeLeon. Will be announced soon.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) January 23, 2017
Forsythe hit .264/.333/.444 with 24 doubles, 20 home runs, 52 RBIs and a 113 OPS+ over 567 plate appearances in 127 games last season. His .778 on-base plus slugging percentage was down from an .804 clip in 2015 but was still the second-best mark of Forsythe’s career.
Forsythe reportedly was discussed as a complementary piece in a potential trade for one of the Rays young starting pitchers prior to last season’s non-waiver deadline. Forsythe is owed $5.75 million in 2017 and has a $9 million club option with a $1 million buyout for 2018.
He can earn additional an $500,000 each for 550 and 600 plate appearances in 2017, and another $500,000 should he tally a combined 1,200 plate appearances from 2016-17. Forsythe was recently ranked the No. 9 second baseman by MLB Network’s The Shredder.
