Dodgers: Best trades of the Andrew Friedman era

Los Angeles Dodgers president, Andrew Friedman, has turned the franchise into perennial contenders and a model for player development. Some of his best moves have come via the trade route.

When Andrew Friedman joined the Dodgers from the Tampa Bay Rays, he was signed to a contract fitting for an All-Star player. His five-year, $35 million deal sending shock waves throughout the baseball community. The young executive had proven his ability to build a World Series roster using limited resources in Tampa. After years of mismanagement, both at the ownership and front office level, in Los Angeles, new CEO Stan Kasten was ready to make a bold hire.

The results since Friedman has joined the organization have proven his original contract was well worth it, and he was rewarded with an extension this past offseason.

The Dodgers have won five consecutive division titles since Friedman was placed atop the decision making hierarchy, and they have reached the World Series in two of the past three seasons.

While the Boys in Blue still haven’t won an elusive modern-day championship (ahem, Astros), they have become a model franchise in Major League Baseball, using their big market resources when necessary, while building a farm system that draws the envy of small market teams, alike.

Baseball America recently named the Dodgers the third best farm system in baseball. A recent cover story article describes how the franchise has become the prototype for developing young talent, after successes with Walker Buehler, Gavin Lux, Dustin May, Will Smith, and Tony Gonsolin, to name a few.

The fact that Friedman has been able to swing deals to help his team in the short-term without sacrificing the farm system in the long-run speaks to his shrewd talent evaluation and negotiation skills.

Let’s take a look at his best trades since joining the Dodgers.