MLB Trade Deadline Recap: Los Angeles Dodgers

Now that the non-waiver deadline has passed, we’re taking a look back at what each team was able to accomplish before 4 p.m. ET on July 31. Next up in our recap series, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 1st in NL West

ACQUIRED: RHP Yu Darvish (from TEX), LHP Tony Watson (from PIT), LHP Tony Cingrani (from CIN)

TRADED: RHP Sergio Romo (to TB), OF Scott Van Slyke (to CIN), 2B/OF Willie Calhoun (to TEX), RHP A.J. Alexy (to TEX), INF Oneil Cruiz (to PIT), SS Brendon Davis (to TEX), C Henrik Clementina (to CIN), RHP Angel German (to PIT)
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Up until the final minutes of the trade deadline, it looked like the first-place Dodgers were going to settle for a couple minor additions in acquiring lefty relievers Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani. Instead, they made a big move in the nick of time when they grabbed starting pitcher Yu Darvish while keeping their top prospects in the process. Needless to say, the Dodgers took a major leap in being considered World Series favorites, if they weren’t already.

With the back injury to Clayton Kershaw, there was a major need for the Dodgers to bolster their rotation, and they did so in a huge way. Darvish tossed seven shutout innings and struck out 10 batters in his first start with the Dodgers. He will likely be a rental since his contract is up after this season, but the Dodgers know they have a real chance to win it all now, so they pounced on grabbing the best available starting pitcher.

The cost was a trio of prospects in Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis. Alexy and Davis are both still very young, but seen as players who have plenty of potential. Alexy is a 19-year-old pitcher who had a 3.67 ERA in the Class-A level, while Davis is 20 years old who was hitting .245 in High-A ball at the time of the trade. Calhoun is the only prospect who has ranked in the Top 100, and was hitting .298 with 23 home runs in Triple-A. It will take a long time to see if the Rangers got enough back in this deal, but it was the necessary move for a rebuilding team.

The Dodgers also bolstered their bullpen with Watson and Cingrani. Watson has an ERA of 3.59 this season and will likely be called upon when facing lefties (like Bryce Harper?), while Cingrani is another lefty who has had less success than Watson. In his first inning with the Dodgers, he surrendered three runs and one home run, lifting his ERA to 6.29.

The Dodgers already have the second best bullpen in baseball in terms of ERA, and their starting rotation will also be among the best once Kershaw comes back. Thanks to their big deadline move, the Dodgers have to be considered the favorites in the National League, even with the Cubs emerging from their surprising mediocrity.

For a complete list of our trade deadline recaps, click here.