Aug 20, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello (21) against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Within hours of reports first circulating that the Dodgers would listen to offers for Gordon, the speedster found himself on the move to Miami. Gordon instantly gives the Marlins an upgrade at second base and at the top of the lineup, but his acquisition is still somewhat of a cautionary tale given his limited track record. Miami also acquired Haren, giving the team a veteran right-hander to work into the rotation, but it remains to be seen if he will end up joining the team. Haren has stated on more than one occasion that his preference was to remain with a team based in the LA area otherwise he may simply retire.
The package of players sent back to the Dodgers has been viewed as a clear overpay by most accounts (even considering the fact that the Dodgers are paying the full salaries of those players sent to Miami), particularly with the inclusion of Heaney – who was arguably the Marlins’ top prospect.
For more on the deal:
Next: Marlins pay high price to land Gordon
Kendrick was a player the Angels were expected to listen to offers for, but few expected them to move him. That was until the Dodgers came calling with a willingness to move Heaney (a player the Angels have long coveted). Kendrick steps into the void left by Los Angeles’ trade of Gordon and gives the Dodgers an instant upgrade both defensively and offensively. During his nine year tenure with the Angels he was a .292/.332/.424 hitter.
Heaney gives the Angels yet another young, cost-controlled starting option with high upside. The left-handed struggled in his debut this past season with the Marlins, but has produced exceptional results during his minor league career. Acquiring him with six years of team control made it easy for the Angels to part with Kendrick, who’ll be a free agent at season’s end.
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Next: Kendrick traded to the Dodgers
Another deal that allowed two teams to address a need. Cespedes seemed to be without a position in Boston, given the club’s abundance of outfield options. While Cespedes is certainly a valuable addition to any team, he doesn’t come without questions. Detroit will be counting on the Cuban slugger’s bat in the heart of their lineup and on his arm holding down one of the outfield corners.
Porcello, meanwhile, gives Boston one of the two high-quality arms that they needed to pickup this offseason. The 25 year old has blossomed over the past few seasons with the Tigers but is one year away from free agency (like Cespedes).
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