Dodgers latest roster move has implications from Manny Machado trade

DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Rylan Bannon #39 of the Baltimore Orioles fields a ground ball during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during a spring training game at TD Ballpark on March 13, 2021 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Rylan Bannon #39 of the Baltimore Orioles fields a ground ball during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during a spring training game at TD Ballpark on March 13, 2021 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

First Manny Machado blows it, then the Baltimore Orioles do. How do you like that? And the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be the beneficiaries! They swept the San Diego Padres over the weekend and now have recouped one of the trade chips they sent to Baltimore in the Machado deal a few years ago.

Machado, who is hated by Dodgers fans for his lack of hustle and absolutely awful performance in the 2018 World Series (4-for-22 with zero extra-base hits), has since joined the Padres, only to miss the playoffs in 2019, lose to LA in the playoffs in 2020, witness a second-half choke in 2021 that saw the Pads finish under .500, and now trail LA by 15.5 games in the division in 2022. Fun times.

A day after the Dodgers’ sweep, LA made a waiver claim that had a connection to Machado, too. This guy is the gift that keeps on giving!

Four years ago when the Dodgers imported Machado from across the country, they sent a package of pitcher Dean Kremer, outfielder Yusniel Diaz, reliever Zach Pop, infielder Breyvic Valera, and infielder Rylan Bannon to Baltimore.

Well, Kremer’s been a promising name to look out for with the O’s, but Diaz, who just made his MLB debut, has largely been disappointing in the minors. Not to mention, Pop and Valera are no longer with the organization.

Oh yeah … neither is Bannon … because he’s back with the Dodgers after being plucked off waivers on Monday.

The Dodgers claimed former Manny Machado trade chip Rylan Bannon

It seems the lost 2020 really affected Bannon’s trajectory, which is something the Dodgers might’ve realized they can potentially fix.

In 2019, the infielder ended up rocketing to Triple-A Norfolk, where he spent 20 games and hit .317 with an .893 OPS. His showing in the Arizona Fall League weeks later wasn’t good at all, but this was a player who went from High-A to Triple-A in less than a year. The escalating competition he saw was considerable.

Then he lost all of 2020, returned to Triple-A for 2021 and … hit a really, really bad .177 in 84 games. The pop was there (15 bombs) but his overall slugging was way down, too (.370). He remained there in 2022 … but the results across 78 games perhaps weren’t what the O’s expected (.227 AVG, .754 OPS, 11 homers, 87 strikeouts in 78 games). After four games at the MLB level, he was designated for assignment.

The 26-year-old will likely now report to Triple-A Oklahoma City and serve as a depth option in the event the Dodgers need infield reinforcement, with Justin Turner already on the IL.

All in all, a roster move that doesn’t require much attention … other than the fact that Machado’s name is attached to it in some way. That said, we could use a timely Bannon defensive play on a ball off Machado’s bat before the regular season ends to keep the content flowing.

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