Sometimes in the MLB trade world, there are harsh casualties. In this case, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda came to be one of those who helped the Dodgers land superstar outfielder Mookie Betts.
In specific, Maeda has been traded to the Minnesota Twins. This trade was reported by Ken Rosenthal on twitter later Tuesday evening.
#Dodgers sending RHP Kenta Maeda to #MNTwins for RHP Brusdar Graterol, who will be part of package going to #RedSox, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 5, 2020
Therefore, what did the Dodgers get in exchange for Maeda? And how did this help in acquiring Betts?
Los Angeles received right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol in exchange for Maeda. Of course, Graterol will never appear for the Dodgers in uniform. The reason for this is because he was dealt to Boston as part of the package that puts Betts as a Los Angeles Dodger.
Notably, we all hoped for the Dodgers to get creative. We wanted them to make a splash. In landing Betts and not giving up any prospects like Dustin May or Keibert Ruiz or fill in the blank, this was exactly what Los Angeles had to do.
It goes without saying that the versatile Maeda will be sorely missed by the fan base and clubhouse alike. In his Dodgers career, the right-hander appeared in 137 games (103 starts) with an ERA of 3.87. In today’s baseball world, that is beyond serviceable. Furthermore, he went 2-1 in postseason play in 24 appearances; along with a 3.31 ERA in October.
Certainly Los Angeles is getting an incredible player in Betts. However, Minnesota is getting one tremendous pitcher in Maeda, and that shouldn’t be a footnote in all of this.
NEXT: Dodgers Acquire Mookie Betts, David Price from Boston Red Sox
