Dodgers Way Quick Hits: Machado, Baez, Bullpen, Roster

Yesterday was quite the adventure for the Dodgers and Dodger fans as the Manny Machado trade seemed to be falling apart before the Dodgers ended up sealing the date in the evening.

The Dodgers landed the biggest bat and the best player available at the non-waiver trade deadline as the Manny Machado trade was officially announced.  The Dodgers sent five prospects to the Orioles in exchange for Machado and while that sounds like a lot to give up for a rental, four of those prospects were outside the Dodgers top twenty prospects list.  The only top prospect given up was Yusniel Diaz who is very talented, but the Dodgers have a handful of very good outfield prospects.

The other prospects were Zach Pop, Dean Kremer, Rylan Bannon, and Breyvic Valera.  While that is a good quantity of prospects to get if you’re the Orioles, none of them are close to being big league ready outside of Breyvic Valera and Yusniel Diaz.  The Dodgers were able to keep Dustin May and Gavin Lux who the Orioles were reportedly eyeing and that is a big win for the Dodgers farm system.

Other news…

More from LA Dodgers News

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• Recapping who Dodgers gained and lost in Rule 5 Draft
• Dodgers ironically sign former all-star to potentially replace Cody Bellinger
• Padres-Xander Bogaerts contract feels like Manny Machado desperation
• Aaron Judge leaving Giants directionless is another massive win for Dodgers

• The Dodgers bullpen figures to be the next position to upgrade but the Dodgers will need to quickly assess the health of their relievers.  Pedro Baez made a rehab appearance on Tuesday and figures to return soon, but the same cannot be said for Tony Cingrani, Josh Fields, and Tom Koehler.  If the Dodgers don’t feel like their trio of relievers will be returning soon then the need to acquire more relief intensifies greatly.
• Manny Machado figures to be in the lineup Friday and in order to do so, a roster spot will need to be made for Machado on the twenty-five man roster.  The Dodgers have a thirteen-man pitching staff but if they plan to use a six-man rotation then they need all thirteen pitchers.  If the Dodgers go down to a traditional twelve man pitching staff then Andrew Toles is one candidate to be sent to Triple-A with Bellinger getting more outfield time.

Next: Predicting the Dodgers lineup with Manny Machado

• Appearing on AM 570, Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi announced that Manny Machado will play third base at times with the Dodgers.  Machado has been very vocal to the media about wanting to play shortstop wherever he went, and he will do so on the Dodgers but the club will also use his versatility to give Turner days off at third base.