Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to make a big splash as the trade deadline approaches. While they have been linked to ace pitcher Cole Hamels, they didn’t waste time making moves while waiting to hear a response from the Philadelphia Phillies.
They made a deal with a rival of the Phillies in the NL East, the Miami Marlins, by acquiring starting pitcher Mat Latos and first baseman Michael Morse.
Following from ESPN.
The Marlins have agreed to trade pitcher Mat Latos and first baseman Michael Morse to the Dodgers for three minor league pitchers, a source confirmed to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Mark Saxon.
The Dodgers also will receive a competitive balance pick — the No. 34 overall selection in next year’s draft — from the Marlins as part of the trade, according to the Miami Herald.
Los Angeles will assume all of the remainder of both players’ salaries, according to reports. Latos is making $9.5 million this season and is scheduled to be a free agent in 2016, while Morse is in the first year of a two-year, $16 million contract.
Latos will most likely slide in to be the fourth starter in the Dodgers rotation behind their top aces Clayton Kershaw and Zach Greinke and left-handed starter Brett Anderson, who left his last start with an injury.
Morse on the other hand will most likely be a utility man coming off the bench for the Dodgers. Morse has played shortstop, first base and outfield throughout his 10 year MLB career.
For Latos, it hasn’t been a great season overall. He currently has 4-7 record with a 4.48 ERA, with a 1.25 WHIP this season, and opponents are hitting .251/.302/.354 against him. The positive is, since returning from a knee inflammation-related DL stint, Latos has a 2.96 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP, and batters are hitting just .198/.242/.335 against him since returning from the DL on June 13th.
UPDATE:
There have been some additions to the deal after the trade hit a late snag.
According to MLB.com, there will be a few more teams added to the deal.
If completed, the Dodgers would receive Latos and Morse from the Marlins and starting pitcher Alex Wood, closer Jim Johnson, reliever Luis Avilan and infielder Jose Peraza from the Braves. Miami would get Minor League pitchers Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo and Kevin Guzman from Los Angeles, while Atlanta would get a competitive-balance Draft pick from the Marlins; from the Dodgers, the Braves would get recent Cuban signee Hector Olivera and injured reliever Paco Rodriguez, all according to Major League sources.
