Grading Dodgers’ offseason signings and trades ahead of Opening Day

Grading Dodgers’ Trades

Billy McKinney Swap: C

Perfectly fringe-average. The Los Angeles Dodgers received nothing in return, and dealt outfielders Billy McKinney and Zach Reks to the Texas Rangers, otherwise known as a retirement home for all former Dodgers 40-man fodder. DJ Peters says hi!

All Dodger fans got was cash considerations. And what they lost? The ability to yell “Get Reks’d!” when Zach Reks wrecked a guy.

McKinney, a Dallas native, hit just .146 in 37 games for the Dodgers last year. Reks had a beastly campaign at the minor-league level last year, triple-slashing .282/.382/.539, but … he did it in the hitter-friendly PCL. Wish him good luck, but he was unlikely to be a major piece of the Dodgers in the midst of this window.

Rays Donate a Reliever: B-

Because … you always … have to wonder … just what exactly the Rays know when they’re willing to make a trade like this.

On March 18, Luke Raley — another fringe Dodgers 40-man stalwart and former top slugging prospect — was dealt to the Rays for reliever Tanner Dodson. The Rays pluck relievers out of thin air, so there’s a good chance they just felt Dodson was more replaceable than Raley, someone they must really like as an Austin Meadows complement (Or replacement? Ooh, intrigue!).

Dodson, the 71st overall pick in 2018, went 5-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 37 outings last season (striking out 64). All in all, it was a nice bounce back from a rough 2019 campaign and absent 2020 season, and he’ll be looking to turn a new leaf at Double-A Tulsa this year.

Clearly, the Rays preferred the more big-league-ready offensive punch of Raley … and hopefully, that’s the only reason they chose to pull off this deal. Stay wary.