Call to the pen
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Los Angeles Dodgers: building a champion

By Bobby Mueller

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during pregame introductions prior to Game Three of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during pregame introductions prior to Game Three of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WI – OCTOBER 13: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Chris Taylor #3 after hitting a two run home run against Jeremy Jeffress #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning in Game Two of the National League Championship Series at Miller Park on October 13, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Dodgers–Key Players Acquired by Trade

More players on the Dodgers’ 25-man NLCS roster were acquired through trades than through any other method. These players accounted for the highest percentage of WAR produced by any group during the regular season when looking at the 25 players on the team’s NLCS roster. Of the 11 players who were worth 2.0 WAR or more this season, four came to the team via the trade route. Those four are detailed below.

UT Chris Taylor (4.1 WAR)—The Seattle Mariners drafted Taylor in the fifth round of the 2012 draft and developed him through their minor league system for four-and-a-half years. He made it to Triple-A in 2014 and had productive seasons at that level over the next three years, but didn’t hit as well when he was called up to the big leagues. On June 19, 2016, they traded him to the Dodgers for pitcher Zach Lee. This would prove to be a colossal blunder.

Upon seeing the success of J.D. Martinez, Taylor sought out hitting guru Craig Wallenbrock and embraced the fly ball revolution. After not hitting a single home run in 246 major league plate appearances in parts of three seasons with the Mariners, Taylor has hit 39 in 1234 plate appearances with the Dodgers. He’s been worth 8.9 WAR over the last two seasons. The Mariners waived Zach Lee in December of 2016. He was last seen pitching in the minor leagues for the Tampa Bay Rays.

C Yasmani Grandal (3.3 WAR)—In December of 2014, the Dodgers acquired Yasmani Grandal, Zach Eflin and Joe Wieland from the Padres for Matt Kemp, Tim Federowicz and cool, hard cash ($32 million). At the time, Kemp was just a few years removed from a 2011 season in which he led the league in runs, home runs and RBI and finished second in NL MVP voting, but declining defense and a couple of injury-marred seasons had taken the shine off his star. Grandal has generally been above average player with the Dodgers (averaging 2.4 WAR per year with L.A.), but his putrid postseason performance is quickly making everyone forget that.

UT Enrique Hernández (3.2 WAR)—Kiké Hernández was part of a seven-player trade with the Miami Marlins in December of 2014. The Dodgers received Hernández, Austin Barnes, Chris Hatcher and Andrew Heaney for Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Miguel Rojas and cash. Hernández was a generally useful player off the bench during his first three years in L.A., but has stepped up his game this year. In 2018, he set career highs in most categories, including games played, runs scored, home runs, RBI and WAR.

SS Manny Machado (2.8 WAR)—Machado was the biggest name traded during the 2018 season. The Dodgers acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles on July 18, 2018, for minor leaguers Yusniel Diaz, Rylan Bannon, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop and Breyvic Valera. Diaz immediately became the Orioles’ top prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Kremer (15th), Bannon (21st) and Pop (24th) also made the Orioles’ top-30. Machado hit .273/.338/.487, with 13 homers and 42 RBI in 66 games with the Dodgers. He’ll likely sign with the Yankees in the offseason, or the Phillies.

Other trade acquisitions:

LHP Alex Wood (1.3 WAR)—December, 2015, from Tigers

OF Matt Kemp (1.1 WAR)—July, 2015, from Astros

RHP Dylan Floro (1.1 WAR)—August, 2018, from Nationals

C Austin Barnes (0.5 WAR)—July, 2018, from Royals

INF David Freese (0.5 WAR)—December, 2015, from Mariners

2B Brian Dozier (0.0 WAR)—August, 2018, from Blue Jays

RHP Ryan Madson (-0.2 WAR)—August 2018, from White Sox

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