Veteran reliever Martin acquired for McKinstry
They might have wanted Luis Castillo, who went to the Seattle Mariners on Friday. They might still want Juan Soto, whose destination remains unknown.
But what the Dodgers probably need more than either of those big-ticket trade targets is bullpen help while they wait for the injury rehabs of a number of pitchers (Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Dustin May, Danny Duffy, et al) to play out.
They made a move in that direction Saturday, sending utilityman Zach McKinstry to the Chicago Cubs in a trade for veteran reliever Chris Martin.
“It's a big driver,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Martin's experience being a fallback if some of those pitchers can't return. “We've got guys that are coming back, but there's no guarantees. So certainly, he's a high floor-raiser, in the sense of performing in big spots, a veteran player.
“It certainly protects downside.”
Martin, 36, has a career ERA of 4.10 and an ERAplus of 112 over seven seasons with five teams, most notably the Atlanta Braves from 2019 through 2021. With the Cubs this season, Martin had a 4.31 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and an ERA-plus of 98 over 34 appearances.
He has been better recently, posting a 3.29 ERA over 14 appearances since mid-June.
Martin is an experienced postseason performer with a 2.19 ERA over 14 appearances with the Braves. One of those appearances, however, was Game 7 of the 2020 NL Championship Series when he entered a tie game and gave up the game-winning home run to Cody Bellinger in the seventh inning.
“He is a neutral reliever (against right- and lefthanded hitters) who has really good stuff. I think he'll fit in really well with our staff, the guys in the 'pen,” Roberts said. “I don't want to kind of specify leverage yet. We believe all outs are important. But just understanding a guy that's a strike thrower, that punches guys out, puts the ball on the ground. So we're excited to have him.”
In 226 2/3 career innings, Martin has struck out 227 while walking only 33, including just four in 312/3 innings this season.
“He's thrown the baseball well,” Roberts said despite Martin's highest ERA since 2018. “There's been some soft contact, unluckiness specifically to the righthanded hitters. So if that's a positioning thing we need to clean up, a sequencing thing we can clean up. But as far as the stuff versus right, versus left, it's really good.”
McKinstry spent parts of the past three seasons with the Dodgers but saw limited playing time. He had just one hit in 11 at-bats at the major league level this season but batted .335 with a .904 OPS in 48 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
“I think he was overwhelmed because this is the only organization that he knew,” Roberts said of McKinstry. “I think that he was very grateful for the Dodgers, what we've done for him, and also kind of placing him in a place where he's gonna have more of an opportunity. Always going to be rooting for him.”
Outman coming
Martin is expected to join the Dodgers today in Denver. In the meantime, outfielder James Outman was promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace McKinstry on the roster. A pitcher will have to be moved off the roster to make room for Martin today.
A seventh-round pick in 2018, Outman was added to the 40-man roster last fall and only recently earned his first promotion to Triple-A, where he hit .225 in 22 games.
“I wasn't really thinking about it. I was trying not to think about it,” Outman said. “It was a goal of mine to make it up here at some point in the year. But when I got the phone call I was super surprised. It was awesome.”
Roberts said he plans to start the left-handed Outman in right field today against Rockies righthander German Marquez with Mookie Betts moving to second base. Betts played the final three innings of the Dodgers' lop-sided games Wednesday and Thursday at second base.
Roberts said he might play Betts at second base “once every seven to 10 days” now to keep him fresher than he would be doing all the running required in the outfield.
“It's a way that we feel we can keep him in the lineup and not have an off day,” he said.
`I think keeping him at his best is the main thing, and how we get there is the question. Mookie has been very open to playing second base, to not have to make that run out to right field, and certainly four games here in Colorado. It's something that, if he agrees with it and believes in it, then we do. It just makes too much sense.”
It also might make sense if, say, the Dodgers were looking to add another outfielder (like Soto) in the next few days.
“I've been surprised many times in the past, pleasantly surprised,” Roberts said of the potential for more significant moves by Tuesday's trade deadline. “But as I said all along, I really like this ballclub. My job is to keep these guys moving forward. So that's what I'm gonna do and if something happens, we'll read and react.”
Picks signed
The Dodgers reportedly reached contract agreements with all but one of their 2022 draft picks before Monday's deadline.
Their top pick, Louisville catcher Dalton Rushing (the 40th pick overall), announced his signing on social media. He reportedly agreed to a signing bonus right at the $1.9 million assigned slot value.
The Dodgers reportedly went well over slot value to sign their sixth-round pick, high school shortstop Logan Wagner, who was a Louisville commit. Wagner signed for $600,000.
They also reached agreement with 16th-round pick Jared Karros of UCLA, former Dodger Eric Karros' son.
Also
Chris Taylor participated in another simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Saturday and has been taking ground balls at second base as well as shortstop. He is expected to start a minorleague injury-rehabilitation assignment Monday.