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Twins find Dodgers as trade partner for Brian Dozier

By Brad Berreman

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 30: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins runs the bases against the Cleveland Indians during the game on July 30, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Indians 5-4. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 30: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins runs the bases against the Cleveland Indians during the game on July 30, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Indians 5-4. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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As potential trade partners fell away, the Minnesota Twins struck a deal to send Brian Dozier to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tuesday was an active day on the MLB trade front, with rumors rampant and multiple deals struck. The Minnesota Twins clearly declared themselves as a trade deadline seller, and their final move may be the biggest one. According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick and others, Brian Dozier has been sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Dozier is in the midst of a down year, with a .224/.305/.402 slash-line (.708 OPS), 16 home runs and 52 RBI. But power surges in the second half of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and being in the final year of his contract, made the 2017 Gold Glover a prime trade asset for the Twins.

Dozier lamented the fact infielder Eduardo Escobar and reliever Ryan Pressly were traded last Friday night, and perhaps not coincidentally he’s just 2-for-16 in the four games since Escobar was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Here’s a look at the deal that went down in the final hour before the non-waiver trade deadline.

Minnesota Twins

In Logan Forsythe, who is also in the final year of his contract, the Twins get an immediate replacement at second base for Dozier. In 70 games this year, he has a .207/.270/.290 slash-line with two home runs and 13 RBI. The 37 home runs he hit over the 2015 and 2016 seasons for the Tampa Bay Rays look like the aberration in an otherwise unremarkable career, but the Twins needed a body to play second base through at least the month of August.

Smeltzer was a fifth-round pick by the Dodgers in 2016. Over 23 appearances (14 starts) for Double-A Tulsa this year, he has a 4.73 ERA with a 7.2 K/9 and a 2.0 BB/9.

Raley, a seventh-round pick in 2016, is a more highly-regarded prospect. He is hitting .275 with 17 home runs, 53 RBI and a .822 OPS in 93 games for Double-A Tulsa this season, and he has 31 home runs over the last two seasons.

The Twins may promote top prospect Nick Gordon at some point, and Forsythe won’t block playing time. Smeltzer and Raley are two more pieces added to the minor league system by Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. Most importantly, with no interest in a contract extension for him, the Twins have unloaded Dozier.

Grade: B

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Los Angeles Dodgers

With Forsythe having a bad year, and Chase Utley a part-time player at 39 years old, the Dodgers needed a better answer at second base. Trade rumors attached them to Dozier before the 2017 season, but the Twins’ asking price led to them making a deal to get Forsythe from Tampa Bay.

At least for the rest of this season, the Dodgers now have a formidable middle infield with Dozier joining fellow trade rental Manny Machado. Keeping one or the other in the offseason can’t be ruled out, but Los Angeles has pushed significant chips into the middle of the table to win the World Series in October.

Grade: B

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