Los Angeles Dodgers acquire Jedd Gyorko from Cardinals
The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired Jedd Gyorko, another multi-positional player that can help across the diamond.
Even though he is currently on the 60 Day Injured List, the Los Angeles Dodgers went ahead and acquired 30-year-old Jedd Gyorko for a not yet known return as of this writing. Gyorko is making $13M (some of which is being paid by the Padres) this year and has an option for the same amount next year with a $1M buyout.
#Dodgers acquiring Jedd Gyorko from #STLCards, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2019
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This is exactly the type of skill set the Dodgers covet, a guy who can rake and also play multiple positions on the diamond acceptably. Gyorko’s best position and only position where he ranks positively defensively by Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) is 3B but he has also played 2B, 1B, and even made a brief 2 inning cameo in LF.
This isn’t a sexy or splashy move like the acquisition of Manny Machado last season but rather a solid pickup that allows the Dodgers to plan for any unexpected contingency. This would be the type of move that would be made in August in years past but with one trade deadline, the Dodgers had to do this now.
Before his injury this season, Gyorko had been a consistent offensive performer putting up a wRC+ of 112, 112, and 110 from 2016-2018. Every season he provided double-digit home runs, topping out at 30 despite hitting the ball right around the league average mark. Historically he has posted acceptable BB and K rates and is a hitter you can run out every day if you need to.
The Cardinals won’t be getting a major prospect return but will either be getting financial relief to pursue another upgrade or an organizational flyer which they can cast #CardinalsDevilMagic on to turn them into an MLB asset.
Next. Pirates oufielder Corey Dickerson goes to Phillies. dark
The Dodgers are obsessed over having depth on their roster and the Gyorko trade reinforces it. It likely won’t cost the NL’s best team anything interesting and will allow them to rotate guys around the fields to get ABs/rest and play optimal matchups. Gyorko is perhaps over-engineering the Dodgers’ roster but when Gyorko hits a go-ahead home run in the NLCS, we should have all seen it coming.