MLB Trade: Braves acquire Juan Uribe from Dodgers

By Will Osgood | May 26, 2015

Sep 26, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe hits a two-run single against the Colorado Rockies in the 6th inning during the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Alberto Callaspo and Juan Uribe have reportedly been traded for one another in a six-player trade between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

It had been rumored for about the past 24 hours. Late Tuesday night, it was reportedly a done deal.

It being a trade between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, flipping most notably two utility-type third baseman for one another. Juan Uribe is off to the Braves, Alberto Callaspo returns to Southern California–he like new his newly minted fellow teammate Howie Kendrick, once played for the Los Angeles Angels.

This all reported by noted Fox Sports baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal.

Sources: Callaspo trade between #Braves and #Dodgers back on. Braves pulled Callaspo from lineup. Six-player deal. Uribe would go to ATL.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 27, 2015

At the time of writing, it is still a reported deal, and not a sure-fire thing. But the trade, which had reportedly hit a snag earlier in the day, sounds as if it’s as good as done. Pulling Callaspo from the lineup should prove it.

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Through the season’s first quarter of the season, the Dodgers split at-bats at third base between Uribe and Jacob Turner. Uribe has put up a quite unsatisfactory .287 on-base percentage, which doesn’t play for a front office now very much mindful of sabermetrics.

Turner on the other hand has had a marvelous .379 OBP and outstanding .921 OPS (on-base plus slugging). Callaspo hasn’t been much better than Uribe in the OBP category, posting just a .292 OBP.

But the 5’9″ utility player does provide position versatility for the Dodgers, something at this point in his career, Uribe really did not. And though his numbers over the last two seasons do not prove it, Callaspo also has an underrated power stroke.

The deal, though, will be most interesting from the perspective of what each team brings back among the other four players in the reported deal. The Braves have made no bones about essentially tanking this year, and despite a somewhat hot start in April, have not been real solid in May, further justifying the approach from new president of baseball operations John Hart.

The Braves, of course, dealt long-time All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel to the San Diego Padres on the season’s eve in April. Their most treasured return were prospects. They are likely looking to acquire more of the same in this deal to restock their farm system and make a push toward an accelerated rebuild.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are all-in for this season. With a change of scenery, playing home games in the familiar Southern California night, Callaspo has the opportunity to improve a Dodgers squad which has seen its play level off since a strong April start.

Interestingly, the Dodgers and Braves are playing one another right now in Los Angeles, meaning the two major leaguers involved in the deal only have to transition across the hall of the famously beautiful Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine .

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