The Mets acquired pitchers Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers, tweets Robert Murray of FanSided. The Dodgers will receive cash as compensation, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Bickford, a 28-year-old righty, was designated for assignment on Saturday to clear a spot for the newly-acquired Joe Kelly. Bickford made the Dodgers’ Opening Day bullpen this year, but hit the IL in June with lower back tightness. All of his key stats moved in the wrong direction this year, with his strikeout rate dropping to 25.3%, his walk rate spiking to 13.7%, and his groundball rate dropping to 29.5%. That’s led to a 5.14 ERA, which is up from 4.72 last year. At his best for the Dodgers in 2021, Bickford was able to punch out nearly 30% of batters and walk fewer than 10%.
Kolarek, a 34-year-old southpaw, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last December. Despite some shaky work at Triple-A, the Dodgers selected his contract in mid-June, which resulted in his lone big league appearance so far this year. After that, Kolarek cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A. He has 144 2/3 big league innings to his name, also logging time with the Rays and A’s.
The pair of arms represent a couple of depth pieces for the Mets, who recently shipped out relievers Dominic Leone and David Robertson as well as future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Despite plans to take a step back for at least the 2024 season, the Mets held on to veteran relievers Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley.
let’s go baby get that cash
Mr. Cohen spent between $88MM and $123.5MM for 3 prospects……and these guys actually made the majors.
Heck, these guys are coming cheap.
GM to be fired soon.
Cohen is just as bad. What a horrible organization. There are no stupid billionaires but it doesn’t mean they are brilliant in other fields.
Why is it stupid? He invested his own money,then re-purposed the signings for prospects. As a fan, I’m delighted to see that he didn’t hold onto assets in hope that the team made a run.
Now, we have a good farm system + his financial backing. It sucks that the team couldn’t compete this year, but at least we made moves for the future.
A owner that spends like that is gonna make the entire game cost more. It was happening anyways he just spread up pricing out regular folks.
Mac is one of those trolls that is fixated on the Mets.
@haringbone: Don’t be so naive. Prices for concessions and tickets wouldn’t be lower if the owners spent less on payroll.
SeeUonTheUlnarSide;
It’s not stupid – it’s CYA and shows a lack of understanding how MLB works.
Do you actually think even half of the prospects the Mets acquired today – at primarily absurd financial costs – are going to 1) make the major leagues, and 2) have good careers? None of us know the future, but based on past results the odds are slim.
Get your hands on some Top 100 prospect rankings from 3-5 years ago. Look at how many names you haven’t heard about in some time, let alone a number of them that are in MLB but pretty much hang on going from team to team that thinks they can unlock some potential that hasn’t come out.
Without prospects, you have no major league players. So yes, I expect some to reach the majors.
In regards to CYA, who exactly is Cohen covering his assets from? He answers to himself and the fan base. He’s a more proactive owner than the Wilpons were, so the fans will continue to support the team.
I have up August 1
Bickford* was just Dfa not sure what the status of kolarek was.
Mets goin’ 4 it again!
I dont know what Friedman got for Bickford cash wise, but I would have taken a gift card from Red Lobster. Good riddance.
Pretty much the case. I believe any trades including for DFAs had to happen by the deadline. Afterwards it’s only a waiver claim or a signing after clearing waivers. There are no longer waiver wire deals in August post-deadline. The only trades allowed now are with players that weren’t on 40-man rosters this year.
Hoping Dave was also sent over to Mets in deal
Would’ve been okay with me
Would’ve been okay with me.
But not Andrew?
@Airbal: Dave who?
Good trade for the Mets
Well, they traded half their starters away, these are cheap guys to fill in, and maybe see if there’s anything worth keeping around.
good. – Signed, DodgerFan
Meet Scherzer and Verlander 2.0! I heard that Uncle Stevie took DNA samples from both Scherzer and Verlander on their way out, and will inject Bickford and Kolarek with the new lab formula! Pure genius and didn’t cost $43.3 million each!
Was glad to have Bickford in ’21 – he pitched well. But since then…woof. It was maddening to watch Roberts keep throwing him the ball.
Mets tanking for higher draft choices.
fredziffel78;
Has it occurred to you that Steven Cohen runs that operation and doesn’t have a clue as to what he’s doing with his playtoy?
Do you remember that just 2 years ago when Mr. Cohen was looking for a GM and had underlings call dozens of name – mostly young – FO people to interview to come to work for a large market team with a large budget that not a one even agreed to interview? Do you think they knew something?
Do you think that David Stearns is so desperate that as soon as he can get out of his contract in Milwaukee he’ll go to the Mets and get a title – where he’ll be allowed to do some of the little stuff but mostly clean up after the owner?
Samuel:
Has it occurred to you that you might have no clue as to what you’re talking about?
Weird… had my money on pitchers moving the other way.
Filler. Hopefully useful, but no expectations.
Watch them grab a WC…