Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Having already been removed from the team’s 40-man roster, Javy Guerra now appears as though he could be headed out of Los Angeles altogether as the Dodgers are drawing interest on the trade market for the right-handed reliever. MLB Daily Dish’s Chris Cotillo reports that a “number of teams” have called the Dodgers to inquire about what it would take to pry Guerra away.
The 28 year was designated for assignment over the past weekend in order to make room for Chone Figgins.
Guerra first debuted with the Dodgers in May 2011, showing some signs of promise as he worked his way into key roles for the team over the course of the next two seasons. He’d appear in 92 games between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, throwing a total of 91.2 IP in which he’d post a 2.45 ERA, 1.331 WHIP, and 7.4 K/9. He’d even spent some time as the team’s closer, totaling 29 saves.
2013 wasn’t quite so kind. Guerra failed to make the team’s bullpen out of Spring Training and then struggled in nine May appearances before landing back at Triple-A. He’d pitch 39.1 IP on the year there, struggling at times (1.525 WHIP, 1.4 HR/9) but overall producing respectable numbers (3.66 ERA, 8.2 K/9) in what many consider to be a very hitter-friendly league.
Now out of options, Guerra’s the victim of a numbers crunch as there just simply isn’t any room for him in the Dodgers’ bullpen given the team’s offseason addition of Chris Perez and their re-signings of Brian Wilson and Jamey Wright. Given his age and the fact that he’s not yet arbitration eligible there was no chance that the team would have been able to sneak him through waivers to send him down to the minor leagues for another year.
Projectable relievers are a sought after commodity for just about every team in baseball, which doesn’t help narrow down a potential list of suitors. The Dodgers have until the 26th, next Wednesday, to make a move or they risk losing him for nothing in return.