The Dodgers have acquired right-handed pitchers Dylan Floro and Zach Neal, along with international signing bonus pool money, from the Reds in exchange for minor-league pitchers James Marinan and Aneurys Zabala, per a club announcement on Wednesday:
The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired RHP Dylan Floro, minor-league RHP Zach Neal and international signing bonus pool space from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for minor league RHPs James Marinan and Aneurys Zabala.
— #VoteKemp (@Dodgers) July 4, 2018
The 27-year-old Floro has broken out this year in his third major-league season — but the first one where he’s really received a legitimate opportunity — posting a 2.72 ERA over 36.1 innings. His peripherals haven’t been as good, however, as he’s allowed a .275 opponent batting average while striking out 27 batters and walking 12. Floro still has a minor-league option remaining, so while Los Angeles’ bullpen depth is lacking right now and he figures to help in the majors, he’s a guy they can stash at Triple-A for a while if need be.
The 29-year-old Neal returns to the Dodgers organization after pitching in a single game for Los Angeles earlier this year. Over a total of 31 big-league appearances (including six starts), the first 30 of which came with the Athletics, Neal has a career ERA of 4.94 and a 1.17 WHIP. He’s struck out just 37 batters in 85.2 innings but has issued just seven walks. Between the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City and the Reds’ Triple-A club in Louisville, Neal has a 5.47 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and six walks in 49.1 minor-league innings this year. Neal won’t be on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster but still has a minor-league option remaining if they decide to add him back to the major-league club at some point.
The 19-year-old Marinan, a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft who received the equivalent of second-round bonus money, was ranked as the Dodgers’ No. 21 prospect by MLB Pipeline. In three starts for the rookie-level AZL Dodgers this year, he has posted a 0.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 10.2 innings.
Zabala, 21, was acquired from the Mariners in a deal for pitching prospect Chase De Jong last March. While he consistently throws his fastball in the upper-90s and has touched 100 MPH, he’s struggled rather consistently as a professional. He has a 5.05 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over 164 pro innings, and over 24 appearances (37 innings) at Low-A Dayton this year, he’s posted a 4.86 ERA and 1.51 WHIP. Obviously those results aren’t encouraging, but he’s young enough that he still has some time to turn things around and make good use of his impressive velocity.