1 trade every MLB team would like to have back
By Drew Koch
1 trade the Los Angeles Dodgers want to take back: Pedro Martinez
One of the greatest starting pitchers of his generation, Pedro Martinez dominated Major League Baseball for nearly two decades. While most remember Pedro for his run with the Boston Red Sox, Martinez was originally signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.
Martinez, whose brother actually pitched for the Dodgers as well, was exclusively used out of the bullpen during his time in the City of Angels. Martinez’s small stature constantly worked against him during the early part of his career.
If Dodgers fans want someone to blame for losing Martinez, they can turn their ire to Jody Reed. The second baseman’s contract dispute with LA caused the Dodgers to look elsewhere for someone to fill the void at the keystone.
Los Angeles turned to the Montreal Expos and sent Pedro Martinez north of the border in order to bring back Delino DeShields. This, along with LA’s insistence that Martinez operated out of the bullpen, would turn into one of the more lopsided trades in MLB history.
While DeShields was a fine baseball player in his own right, Pedro would go on to appear in eight All-Star Games, win three Cy Young Awards, and a World Championship in 2004 with the Boston Red Sox.