Atlanta Braves send Alex Wood, Luis Avilan, Jim Johnson to Los Angeles Dodgers
The Sports Xchange
The Los Angeles Dodgers added starting pitchers Alex Wood and Mat Latos and five other players Thursday in a three-team deal that included 13 players and a draft pick.
According to reports from major media outlets, the Dodgers acquired the left-handed Wood from the Atlanta Braves, along with top prospect Jose Peraza and pitchers Bronson Arroyo, Luis Avilan and Jim Johnson. Along with the right-handed Latos, the Dodgers acquired first baseman Michael Morse from the Miami Marlins.
The Braves received infielder Hector Olivera, left-hander Paco Rodriguez, right-hander Zack Bird and a 2016 competitive-balance draft pick from Miami.
The Marlins received minor-league right-handers Jeff Brigham, Victor Araujo and Kevin Guzman while shedding around $18 million in Latos’ and Morse’s salaries.
The deal was nearly completed Wednesday, but it was put on hold until the players passed physical exams.
Latos, 27, was on the disabled list from May 22 to June 12 due to left knee inflammation. He missed the first 10 weeks of the 2014 season after undergoing right elbow surgery in October 2013 and left knee surgery in February 2014. He also missed the final three weeks of last season because of a bone bruise in his right elbow.
Morse, 33, was out from May 24 to July 4 due to a right ring finger sprain. While with the San Francisco Giants last year, he missed almost all of September because of a left oblique strain.
Latos (4-7) has managed four consecutive quality starts in which he has allowed just six runs in 26 innings to lower his ERA from 5.49 to 4.48. He is a three-time 14-game winner who can become a free agent after this season. He is making $9.4 million this year.
Morse, who is signed through 2016, is hitting .214 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 52 games. He will join his fifth team in the last three seasons. He is making $7.5 million this year and will earn $8.5 million next year.
The Dodgers, who are battling the San Francisco Giants for the National League West title, are hoping Latos and Wood will give them some rotation depth behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Wood is 7-6 with a 3.45 ERA.
Johnson has a 2.25 ERA and nine saves, and Avilan has a 4.57 ERA.
Peraza had been one of the Braves’ top prospects. He has batted .303 in five minor-league seasons and was hitting .294 at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Olivera, a 30-year-old Cuban star, has hit .348 in the Dodgers’ minor-league system since signing a six-year, $62.5 million contract in March. The Braves tried to sign Olivera last winter.
Arroyo, 38, is recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Braves in June.