The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier as part of a multi-player deal. In return, the Dodgers will send second baseman Logan Forsythe and prospects Luke Raley and Devin Smeltzer.
#MNTwins Roster Moves: Twins acquire Forsythe, Raley, and Smeltzer from the Dodgers in exchange for Brian Dozier. pic.twitter.com/WH8dwx0CTd
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 31, 2018
Dozier gives the Dodgers yet another infield option. He's having a worse-than-usual season, entering Tuesday hitting .224/.305/.402 (91 OPS+) with just 16 home runs. He's a free agent at season's end, and the Dodgers are banking on him rebounding between then and now. Dozier marks the second starting middle infielder the Dodgers have acquired this month, joining Manny Machado.
Forsythe serves as financial ballast, as he's due a little under $4.5 million the rest of the way. Though he's in his age-31 season, he hasn't performed since being traded to the Dodgers prior to the 2017 season. This year, he's hit .207/.270/.290 (53 OPS+). He'll try to re-establish some value playing out the string for a Twins team that has dealt both starting middle infielders.
Raley, a first baseman-slash-outfielder, has spent the season in Double-A, hitting .275/.345/.477 with 17 home runs. He was ranked No. 19 in the Dodgers system by MLB.com due to an assortment of average or better tools. Smeltzer, a right-handed pitcher, has a 4.73 ERA and 3.53 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23 Double-A appearances this season.