The Phillies have been very active on the trade market over the last two days, dealing closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Nationals and sending Cole Hamels to Texas for five prospects. One of the teams that once highly regarded Cole Hamels is working on completing a deal of their own with both the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves.
In the proposed deal, the Dodgers would receive right-hander Mat Latos and outfielder Mike Morse from the Marlins along with Braves pitchers Alex Wood, Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan and Atlanta's top prospect, infielder Jose Peraza. The Braves would get 30-year-old Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, left-hander Paco Rodriguez and minor league pitcher, Zach Bird. Atlanta will also pick up the Marlins compensation pick in next year's draft, which will be the 35th overall selection. Meanwhile, the Marlins pick up three minor league arms in Kevin Guzman, Jeff Brigham and Victor Araujo along with dumping the remaining $14+ million owed to Mat Latos and Mike Morse. MLB.com Marlins reporter Joe Frisaro tweets that the deal should be done after the Braves look over Hector Olivera's medical records.
I am hearing #Marlins #Dodgers #Braves trades a pending completion of Hector Olivera's medical records. should be done after that
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) July 30, 2015
The Dodgers seem to be getting a good package here in return for what they are giving up. Mat Latos has spent time on the DL this year for Miami, but has been getting more consistent over his recent starts. Overall this season, he's 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA, which is disappointing to a Marlins team that had high expectations entering the season. The Dodgers also get outfielder Mike Morse from Miami. After hitting .279 last season with the Giants, he's regressed quite a bit in Miami, slashing .214/.277/.314 in 52 games.
L.A. also gets Braves left-hander Alex Wood, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan along with Atlanta's top rated prospect, infielder Jose Peraza. Wood, 24, is under team control until 2020 and is arbitration eligible in 2017. After posting a 2.78 ERA in 2014 in 35 games, Wood has followed it up with a 7-6 record and a 3.54 ERA this season as a starter. Righty Jim Johnson, who was the current closer for the Braves, heads to L.A. as well. Signed on a low-risk one-year deal by the Braves, Johnson holds a 2.25 ERA and nine saves in 48 innings this season. Left-handed reliever Luis Avilan has a 3.58 ERA in 37 2/3 innings this season, striking out 31 hitters in the process. Braves top prospect Jose Peraza also heads to the Dodgers in the deal. The 21-year-old out of Venezuela is hitting .294 this season for Triple-A Gwinnett and has 26 steals.
The Braves add left-handed reliever Paco Rodriguez, Cuban infielder Hector Olivera and minor leaguer Zach Bird. Rodriguez, 24, was selected by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2012 draft. In 18 games this season for L.A., he has a 2.61 ERA. Atlanta also gets their man in 30-year-old infielder Hector Olivera. During the offseason, the Braves were aggressive in the bidding war for him, but were outbid by the Dodgers. Prior to hitting the disabled list, Olivera was hitting .348 in 19 games with two homers and seven RBI's. Finally, the Braves get right-hander Zach Bird in the deal. The 21-year-old ninth round pick is 3-6 with a 5.29 ERA in Advanced 'A' ball this season.
The Marlins come out of the trade with three minor league pitchers. 20-year-old Kevin Gzzman, currently in Class 'A' ball, is 5-7 with a 3.90 ERA. They also get 23-year-old fourth rounder from 2014, Jeff Brigham. Between Class 'A' Great Lakes and Advanced 'A' Rancho Cucamonga, Brigham is 6-5 with a 5.52 ERA. The final arm the Marlins will add is Dominican right-hander, Victor Araujo. In Advanced 'A' this season, he's 3-3 with an ERA of 5.40.
The Dodgers seem to be the winners of this deal by far, adding a serviceable rotation arm in Latos and a veteran outfielder in Morse along with a great young arm in Alex Wood, some bullpen help with Johnson and Avilan and another prospect to add to their already impressive pool of young talent.
h/t MLBTradeRumors
