The Dodgers have acquired David Freese in a swap with the Pirates, as first reported by Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter). Infielder Jesus Valdez goes to Pittsburgh in the deal, per a club announcement.
While we’re learning about this after the deadline for players to be acquired with postseason eligibility, it stands to reason that the sides completed the deal beforehand. If so, Freese will be able to appear in the playoffs this year, though there’s no assurance he’ll command a roster spot if and when the time comes.
Of course, no small part of Freese’s stature as a player comes from his prior postseason heroics. Beyond the memorable moments themselves, he’s a .282/.357/.517 hitter in 196 playoff plate appearances.
True, Freese hasn’t been in such a situation since way back in 2014. But he has continued to turn in solid campaigns since. This year, he’s slashing a sturdy .283/.337/.447 in 261 plate appearances for the Bucs. Freese has actually been a bit better against righties this year, but has been a hundred OPS points better against lefties over his career.
Freese becomes the third right-handed-hitting infielder picked up by the Dodgers this summer, joining Manny Machado and Brian Dozier. He won’t likely see as much time as that middle-infield pairing; rather, he’ll presumably function as a bench bat against lefties.
In Valdez, the Pirates get a 20-year-old who is in his debut season in the Dominican Summer League. He has played all over the infield, mostly on the left side, while hitting .230/.343/.412 with six home runs and 16 steals in 242 plate appearances.
Freese is earning $4.25MM this year, about $700K of which remains to be paid. He’s also controllable for 2019 via a $6MM club option that comes with a $500K buyout. The teams’ announcements make no mention of any money changing hands in the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Drop F-Bomb here. Pirates fans aren’t going to be happy.
Bucco fan here. Not unexpected at all. They’re not going anywhere so let the kids play. Good man…Freese. Good luck in LA.
I bet Pablo Reyes from AAA gets added to the 40 man roster. As for Jesus, he’s a meh prospect. They have the wrong link to the player up there. Here is the correct one. baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=val…
So which one is it? Were the Dodgers stockpiling guys named Jesus Valdez?
this move shows they dont figure to be competitive next year
so why do the archer trade then?
does this organization have any idea what they are doing at all?
David Freese is the difference between contention and not?
K.
Lmao what?! They have no room for him next year and I figured they would probably buy him out anyways so at least they got something for freese.
why wouldn’t they be happy to get something back for him? they aren’t contending this year.
Because they had him signed through 2019, the fans liked him, and he provided a good bat with veteran presence in the clubhouse. They didn’t get much in return for someone with a 1.5 WAR. Then on the flip side, they did get Jesus. That’s a big name.
Jesus saves…
They aren’t contending this year, and the next one, and the next one too.
You just like F-Bombs,shows knowledge!
They traded him so they don’t have to hear him run his mouth again next ST. Even though what he said was right.
….cool to get Freese…..makes sense tho….good depth…..
Dodgers ain’t messing around
Dang, the Dodgers are grabbing anything hanging in the sale rack. I love the smell of desperation.
Dumb comment
Of course you go to the sale rack. Why go to Saks Fifth Avenue to get fancy clothes for 1 party?
How would be able to live with yourself if you didn’t love the smell of desperation?
Lol,how about a pitcher?
I heard the Dodgers are interested in Bryce Harper’s Dad for one or two postseason pinch at bats
How’s that Padres being 4 games back of the Wild Card in late August prediction looking for ya bud?
33 year old for 33 year old
Freese is 35, and they linked the wrong Jesus Valdez. The kid coming from the Dodgers is 20.
ooh, the first link showed me a 33 year old dude who never made it
MLBTradeRumors is notorious for linking to the wrong players.
You should ask for a refund on your subscription…oh wait
Perfect bench guy. If he’s the last guy on your bench then you have a really great team.
That cant be the right player linked
The article links to the wrong Jesus Valdez. It should be this 20 year-old player: baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=val…
Jesus, I wish they would have gotten the right Jesus.
Bit of a surprise, but I guess since we’re out of contention why not. I’m going to miss him though, and I’m going to guess a lot of The Pirates teammates are going to too, since it seemed like he had a big veteran impact on the team.
I wonder if he will drive his Vette to LA he obtained from his MVP award with the Cards.
Love this and they can keep him around next year when Utley retires as a bat off the bench and can get some starts here and there around the infield and not at a very steep price either.
Well maybe but Freese hasn’t played any significant amount of 2B. It isn’t clear how they plan to use him this year let alone next. Any time Freese spends at his natural position is time Turner doesn’t. Maybe they are thinking Muncy has hit the wall?
played excellent 1b saturday with a single and a walk. all 1b for team are left handed and can back up turner. dodgers can;t hit lefties so a good add.
Maybe he’s a hugger?
Coming from a Giants fan, this is low key a great acquisition.
Perfect, just what they needed, a right handed relief pitch….oh wait…
relief help is on the way… urias, fields, etc
Fields probably, but the last report on Urias was less optimistic about his availablity in September.
They need a reliever more than freese, overall good trade
Now Freese has a chance to fall shy of reaching the Wild Cards with two teams in one season. That would be heartbreaking.
LOL why couldn’t the deal had been made before the soft liner for an rbi against the braves last night?
Going to miss Freese, he was a class act and one of the few above average hitters the Pirates had.
that neal huntington is savvy
goes from mortgaging the future one month and the next month he deals a guy that would have been a piece for the next season lmao
have to love the plan they have in place
You must have a DK subscription…
good for him. say what you want about his stats, metrics, how many times he blinks his eyes at bat or some other dartboard stat, but he has one important factor — post season experience. he deserves to play for a winner. good luck mr freeze.
I’m surprised. I thought out of all the Pirates with options he would be the only one worth picking up. I guess the front office weren’t pleased with his comments earlier in the season and don’t wanna deal with it again this offseason.
I predict that by mid-Sep, Freese will be a lot more than just a bench bat. Dodgers may not make it to the post season, but I think Freese will be doing a lot more than just pinch hitting down the stretch
Do tell? Are you being mysterious about this “a lot more” thing for a good reason?
Probably means platooning with Bellinger.
No it just means Taylor and Kemp lose ABs. Freese becomes a platoon guy with Muncy while giving Turner a rest once in a while. Bellinger sees more OF time. It’s not that complicated or mysterious.
Your scenario is probably correct but whatever role the Dodgers have in mind for Freese, it won’t take until mid-September for us to see it. That’s what I meant by my question. I won’t try to guess at what someone meant when they’ve haven’t bothered to explain it themselves.
Oh I was addressing the ambiguity of the first comment. I also don’t believe it’s going to wait until mid September. Freese is slotted in right away. I think we’ve already seen Kemp, Taylor, & Muncy lose time. Granted he’s not a superstar or the next coming he’s a nice comp piece that is brought for an express purpose.
Freese was a good guy and can help LA. Too bad no one bit on Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer. No need for them in Pittsburgh. Let the kids play
I too thought that they would keep Freese for next year at the reasonable option of $6M.He is a good veteran presence on a relatively young team and has played well again this year.His ST comments may have been candid but they were correct and that is one of the reasons to have a veteran presence.I do not doubt that they tried to trade Mercer and Harrison with no takers.I think that he was a good backup for Moran and Bell who have not really provided any power for the Pirates this year.Not sure whether they think Osuna can do that next year but he has not hit well after his first couple of months in the ML last year.
I have lost much of my faith in Hurdle and am starting to lose it in NH.Perhaps all of the naysayers are correct.
Freese was the star of the greatest World Series game ever played.
Bill Mazeroski may disagree with you.
not even close…
Agree, also have lost faith in these 2, I guess they are counting on Osuna to fill the role. He has been consistent over .300 all season at Indy, but maybe he is the type of guy who has to play everyday and not be a bench player..
This is huge pick up. He has a small sample size of the playoffs but he single handedly forced game 7 in 2011. 2 run triple and a walk off home run.