2:32pm: The Dodgers are also getting righty Kyle Hurt, a fifth-round pick of the Marlins in 2020. Hurt is a California native who pitched at USC. Baseball America wrote before the draft that teams interested in Hurt “see his future as a hard-throwing reliever.”
2:01pm: The Marlins are set to acquire right-handed reliever Dylan Floro from the Dodgers in exchange for lefty Alex Vesia and a prospect, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (via Twitter). It’s the second bullpen-related trade of the day for the Dodgers, who dealt lefty Adam Kolarek to the A’s in exchange for infielder Sheldon Neuse as part of a four-player trade this morning.
Floro may provide an upgrade to Miami’s bullpen, which was among the worst in the majors a year ago. The 30-year-old, whom the Dodgers acquired in a trade with the Reds in 2018, pitched to a 3.10 ERA/3.68 SIERA with a 22.4 percent strikeout rate and 7.1 percent walk rate in 98 2/3 innings in a Los Angeles uniform. Floro’s 52.7 percent groundball rate during that span was one of the main reasons he was so effective, as he also posted a meager 8.5 percent home run-to-fly ball rate. Floro isn’t eligible for arbitration until after this season, and he’s not due to become a free agent until the end of 2023, so he could be a multiyear piece for Miami.
Vesia, 24, was a 17th-round pick of the Marlins in 2018 who made a 4 1/3-inning major league debut last season and allowed nine earned runs on seven hits and seven walks (with five strikeouts). He does, however, carry a 1.62 ERA with great strikeout and walk rates in 100 innings of work in the minors.
HBan22
Tell me moro.
baseballpun
This is a bore-o.
paddyo furnichuh
For shor-o?
Too close to the opera singer bit maybe.
gymhopper
He didnt get very far
alwaysreal
Their has to be something big in the works for a bullpen piece. Their trading away a lot of our good bullpen guys…
puigpower
Those are filler pieces man.
alwaysreal
Doubt it. They have to be working on something. They don’t have a full 26 man roster to start the season trading multiple guys on mlb roster for minor leaguers.
looiebelongsinthehall
Probably a little cash relief for when they re-sign a certain third baseman who should have been in quarantine when they won last October.
Ya'll a bunch of salty crybabies
Get over yourself, Salty.
alwaysreal
That makes sense as well. I can’t see Turner in another uniform.
fox471 Dave
Still the clown.
baumann
They’re going to trade for Hader.
fox471 Dave
Well, man, not Floro.
Rangers29
Why are the Dodgers trading off bullpen arms? I’m really not sure.
MasterCal
Cause nobody is taking Jansen’s or Kelly’s contracts, and they have Treinen, Knebel, Graterol, and Gonzalez, not to mention May/Gonsolin potentially
towinagain
As a Pads fan watching them. The Dodgers have an eye for bullpen arms so I don’t think this is trading off pen arms as much as it is retooling their pen again. I’ll give them that, they know what they are doing.
expos_back_by_2025
Agree! Since they know how to do this, my bet goes on shredding payroll on stuff they don’t need
rememberthecoop
Floro makes only 1M
elgrandeuno
I say Friedman has something up his sleeves, I bet something big is coming. That’s how he works.
looiebelongsinthehall
Every little bit saved helps and as I just posted elsewhere my guess is this was in their view excess and they’re about to re-ink Turner.
BlueSkies_LA
May and Gonsolin, Destination: Bullpen.
pustule bosey
probably money, they need to start whittling about 40mm off the payroll do get under the tax
Lurking
You really think they are going to cut 40 MILLION with a few weeks to go before ST? Are you drunk?
They are doing what a champion should do. Try to repeat. Not worry about a 5M tax bill
sfgiantkev1
so they can afford Bauer lol
differentbears
Blake Treinen
Brusdar Graterol
Joe Kelly
Kenley Jansen
Cory Knebel
Victor Gonzalez
Brandon Morrow
With all of these guys also to mix in, when they’re not spot-starting:
Dustin May*
Tony Gonsolin*
Julio Urias*
Mitchell White
Josiah Gray
Dennis Santana
Jimmy Nelson
Floro and Kolarek and McGee, all guys at the back of the pen, low leverage arms for the Dodgers. Alex Wood as well, none of these guys were looked to be difference makers, but merely depth and different pen looks. I trust the Dodgers to piece together another good pen out of the signings they’ve made and the young arms they have in waiting.
*I expect Urias to be a rotation regular, and May and Gonsolin to start if not regularly, enough to be seen as starters. All three might move to the pen in the postseason, as the Dodgers has great success in doing so in 2020.
mlbdodgerfan2015
Morrow is probably a long shot to make the team. I think the Dodgers will prefer to have two lefties out of the eight relievers, so I’d give Scott Alexander a decent chance to make the pen after trading Kolarek. Barring another trade that only leaves one spot between the two (out of Urias, May and Gonsolin) that don’t make the starting rotation. I’m guessing either another trade or Gonsolin goes to AAA to start the season.
oldmansteve
Urias is definitely making the rotation
MasterCal
Could be a sneaky good pickup for MIA: Floro was very good last year.
Dodgers banking on good years from Jansen and Kelly I guess
its_happening
Might be sneaky good for both team looking at Vesio’s numbers in the minors.
Rollie's Mustache
Yeah the Dodgers obviously see something there. Vesia’s velo is meh, but his spin efficiency is top level. Same with the changeup.
MarlinsFanBase
Vesia looks decent when you see him. I like this trade for the Marlins, but I think we may have lost a decent lefty in Vesia.
Marlins really working to strengthen that bullpen this offseason, We still need someone to close though. And we need a veteran innings eater to go with all of our young starters.
WarrenSpahn
give Joe Kelly another chance but please not Kenley Jansen in a big game…
towinagain
Jab, step, counter, uppercut. Pads and Dodgers trading haymakers
baseballpun
Haymakers?
Chief Two Hands
You gotta make some hay to feed those horses.
Loling @ you
What are you even talking about? Dodgers have been relatively docile this winter meanwhile padres have completely rebuilt there rotation and backend. Dodgers trade 2 guys that weren’t likely to be used with gonsolin and May going to pen.
vtadave
Docile except for a guy named Trevor Bauer. They are the champs, so no real need to rebuild anything, unlike the Padres.
bkbkbkbk
Paging Perry!
solaris602
I think the Dodgers must be clearing space for a FA reliever, though I have no idea who that would be at this point
baseballpun
Mariano Rivera.
Jeff Zanghi
Why are the Dodgers trading away all their bullpen depth all of a sudden? Haha this is the second trade today of a really solid reliever. Though the lefty they’re getting back in return here has put up some VERY impressive numbers in the minors so maybe they feel he’s actually a better fit for them if he can translate his minor league success to the majors.
differentbears
Floro wasn’t a high leverage arm, though he was useful.
WarrenSpahn
better in 2018 than 2019. last season doesn’t really count…
ufo1818
Dodgers opened up two roster spots
Waiting for the next move?
oldmansteve
Only 1. Neuse is on the 40 man.
Cap & Crunch
Hes got 2 options, so they cleared 2 26 man spots today
Armaments216
Exactly, this is all about fitting the arms they have onto the 26-man active roster.
brewpackbuckbadg
Are they trading for Josh Hader? Some say he is getting expensive for the Brewers. Just a flat out rumor from me.
Blank Frank
Does Neuse make Hoese expendable as part of a big trade for Kris Bryant or Josh Hader? This made-up rumor has legs.
Gwynn4TheWin(field)
Watch the Dodgers sign Justin Turner and Trevor Rosenthal now to take those roster spots.
bartolo
Bever forget Floro coming in clutch in game 6 of the world series… Came in for one batter to strike out Arozarena with a runner on second. Kept the game to a 1 run game and was huge for momentum. Kind of a forgotten key moment in the series. Floro has been an under the radar stud for the dodgers. Wishing him the best
milehigh13
THey are making room for May and Gonsolin to be in the bullpen guys. They are just shedding tons of excess. Get some minor leaguers that will help down the road potentially. This all makes sense. And… they need another 40man roster spot when they sign Turner (or trade for his replacement)
amk1920
Guess this is Kim Ng’s initiation into getting fleeced by the Dodgers. What a terrible trade for the Marlins… Two high upside rp for a meh rp.
fox471 Dave
Kind of a dumb comment, my dear friens amk.
Lurking
This is gonna be an everyone wins deal.
bobtillman
The first rule every GM should follow is: when a “meh” reliever has a good year, get on the phone and make the best deal possible. LA did it twice today, no doubt inspired by the fact that you couldn’t GIVE Jansen or Kelly away.
What they got back will probably not amount to much, but it’s better than watching Floro and Kolarek get whacked around and crying, “Wha happened”?????”
Barkerboy
It’s 4D chess.
jsaldi
I really liked Floro and Kolarek why we trading inexpensive bullpen pieces ??
vtadave
I’ll leave it to the smart people in the Dodgers front office.
opranger
Please sign JT already! You know have cleared Five spaces on the 40 man rooster! Get on with signing JT, no more excuses!
andrewgauldin
From a Marlins perspective, I don’t like it. Couldn’t we have signed a reliever of Floro’s magnitude instead of giving up Vesia and Hurt?
Given Vesia’s stats in the minors, isn’t he worth giving more of a chance than just the 4 innings he pitched last season?
MarlinsFanBase
I’m not sure. The Marlins have looked like they’ve made some decent bullpen moves this offseason. We’ll have to see.
And I agree that Vesia deserved more of a chance. We’ll see how it goes.
Crypto Nerd
Dodgers moving overachievers to clear space for May/Gonsolin/White in the bullpen?
Or does Friedman have another move in mind?
Rich Hill?
mlbdodgerfan2015
Yes, clearing bullpen arms. Kolarek and Floro were solid though but we all know in the relief pitching world there is a bit of randomness due to small sample sizes. The delta between these guys and whoever the Dodgers insert in there is probably not that great. That said I doubt White will be part of the pen. He’s better off in AAA until an injury comes about. Maybe the same for Gonsolin. May or Urias will be in the pen unless Dodgers go 6 deep but realistically not sure how that happens over course of entire season without pissing off guys like Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler.
Crypto Nerd
I think most teams will have to go 6 deep because 2020 limited pitchers innings.
Going from 50 to 180 innings will be too much for most guys.
Covid will be the excuse the FO use to get pitchers to accept a 6 man rotation. Maybe they pitch Bauer 30 starts but I doubt it.
BlueSkies_LA
Here’s your ring, now go play for the Marlins.
MarlinsFanBase
And considering that the Marlins were a playoff team that made it to the Division Series, your point is?
BlueSkies_LA
Too obvious to explain.
dodger
Urias and May staying in the pen
quin14
Buddy in L.A. says he heard the Dodgers want Hader from the Brewers. Don’t know if that’s the case but something is a brewing (get it) at Chavez Ravine!!! Hope also we re sign JT.
fox471 Dave
Not funny, when you need to explain it (get it)?
vivalosdoyers
Would happily see Lux for Hader. Win win for both teams.
Wouldn’t mind a Gonsalin trade either considering our depth and farm.
WarrenSpahn
I want to see what Lux can do as everyday 2nd baseman on the Dodgers…
vivalosdoyers
Lux doesn’t appear to be MLB ready as he would have started over Taylor/ Hernandez if he was. Dodgers also have Hoese and Busch coming up, even Smith to play infield if they hang onto Ruiz. Trade him while you can still get top dollar.
Mjm117
Marlins gave up two good arms for Floro but you can’t get good talent without trading away some…
Would rather Marlins had signed Rosenthal on a 1 yr contract to round out the BP and avoid trading away two talented arms but this should be a win/win for both teams.
MarlinsFanBase
They may still sign Rosenthal. They do need someone to compete to be a closer.
vivalosdoyers
Graterol, Knebel or Treinen ring a bell?
MarlinsFanBase
We’re talking about the Marlins – not the Dodgers.
hoyce
Eugenio Suarez for urias. Who says no?
Mjm117
Dodgers hang up emphatically.
Armaments216
After hearing only laughter on the other end. Suarez is controlled for about five years on a team friendly deal. No way Cincinnati takes that trade unless they’re offloading some other contract along with it.
vtadave
Yep. Suarez is controlled for four years, but he also hit .202 last year.
Armaments216
5 years of team control. He’s signed for 4 years $43.5M plus a $15M team option for 2025.
TrueBlue44
Got Kiké’s replacement in Neuse, Kolarek’s replacement with options in Vesia and a hard throwing righty in Hurt. Friedman just boosted the farm, cleared some cap and roster space and sold high on two guys who were expendable. It’s these type of moves that most fans don’t realize how great Friedman is… Something big is coming. I hope JT.
Cap & Crunch
I wouldn’t take them as straight line replacements but yes THIS is why We love AF…… Anybody can hash out a Mookie deal etc etc but this is where he makes his bread
Floro barely even hung on to a roster spot last year after Spring training, was literally last man standing
Victor Gonzalez looks like he has better stuff than Kolarek
This team was going to run into major 26/40 man problems soon…..these trades today help a bunch
TrueBlue44
Of course, it’s not a straight up replacement. It is extremely difficult to find Kiké’s flexibility, leadership and experience in the playoffs.
Orel Saxhiser
Floro got perhaps the biggest out of the World Series. He is good but replaceable. I expect two more transactions with Turner not being re-signed. When it all shakes out, Dodger fans will be ecstatic. In the meantime, relax and watch Friedman perform his magic.
IStallion
Well put, I agree. As for a big move in the making…I suppose you mean we will pick up a 3b….I don’t know about that, but if we don’t make one, I’m okay with playing a Rios/Neuse platoon.
LA Ballez
I think Turner or Trevor Rosenthal is the move the Dodgers are making these trades.
Lets not forget that htey also DFA’d RP Shborz whom I recall them adding to the roster when it expanded going into the playoffs.
Cap & Crunch
I dont think paying market price for Big name Rps is going to be AF’s MO moving forward-
I think this was all just about freeing up the 26 and 40 man rosters for later while actually adding some prospects they like
Floro and Kolarek were very fungible, if you can make a dime profit here you bank it and trust your scouting and player devel to fill in the blanks later….even if the variables arent exactly known at the time
Orel Saxhiser
Turner is gone. It’s okay to think bigger.
Sports Brah
I wouldn’t overthink these moves, which were obviously connected. The Dodgers wanted someone to potentially replace Keekay this year and Taylor next year and found that potential in Neuse. And were able to procure that by selling high on Kolarek before pivoting to another deal to get another bullpen lefty and buying low on him. I don’t think it’s anything more than that. Hard to see a Turner connection.
UKPhil
The trade hasn’t cleared a roster spot for the Dodgers. Vesia was on the Marlins 40 man roster, but has a full set of options. The way I see it, the Marlins need a solid bullpen arm now and are thinking he’s not ready yet, so trade for a solid reliever who would have a chance to handle higher leverage situations.
The Marlins have a lot of potential on their 40 man roster, but it’s looking a bit tight to get 26 for opening Day 2021
A few years down the line the Dodgers will probably be the winners on this trade, but the Marlins may well get their needs met this season.
bellybombs
Dodgers trade 2 40 man roster spots without options for 2 40 man spots with options. All about flexibility.
frankpr21
Bad, bad trade for the Marlins. Have no idea what the Marlins are doing trading excellent prospects now for What? Flo no way. This guy doesn’t add anything in terms of wins for the Marlins this season. They are not going to compete against the Mets, Braves, or Philadelphia they are ways 100% better teams. No reason to compromise the future like that. Bad bad trade.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I wouldn’t guarantee that the Phils and Mets are better than .500 teams. I gotta see it to believe it. I’m not sold.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Don’t overlook the Marlins. I wouldn’t be surprised if they compete for the division while the Mets and Phillies sit on the sidelines watching. Just because the Mets and Phillies made big splashes doesn’t mean they’re going to win this thing. Marlins have a lot of great underrated pitching.
IStallion
Count me in as being very content with both trades and in trading away Flo and Kolarek. And of course, I was very happy saying goodbye to Baez. One to go….Kenley. Oh, and don’t forget to permanently move URIAS to the pen. The only proof I need for saying that is this….rewatch the 7th game of the NLC and the 6th game of the WS. Without Urias, we probably don’t win either game. We had no one else who could have done what he did. Case closed.
stretch123
Floor throws strikes and doesn’t allow man home runs… could be a nice pickup. Don’t understand why we had to give up two young pitchers though. I think Hurt should have been more than enough value.
IjustloveBaseball
Not a bad pickup for Miami.
For the Dodgers though, it’s these “small” moves (Kolarek included) that keep young talent flowing through the organization — making big “rebuilds” avoidable. It’s a cliche at this point, but the Dodgers truly are a well-run club — of course it doesn’t hurt to have the money.