Dodgers make buzzer-beater deal for Blue Jays outfielder on trade deadline day

A mere one minute before it was confirmed that the Dodgers made a trade with the Tigers for Jack Flaherty, FanSided insider Robert Murray broke that LA would also be welcoming a veteran outfielder into the fold.

The news was (understandably) drowned out by the Flaherty-related noise, but he still does fulfill a need for the Dodgers. Kevin Kiermaier is headed to LA after the Dodgers struck a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays placed Kiermaier on waivers on July 12, but he went unclaimed and headed back to Toronto. We wrote then that the Dodgers picking him up would be a mistake, which still isn't entirely untrue.

However, since the Dodgers sent Miguel Vargas to Chicago in part of their three-way trade with the White Sox and Cardinals that secured them Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech, they do have more of a need for outfielders.

Dodgers make last-minute trade with Blue Jays for Kevin Kiermaier

Almost none of the Dodgers who fans might've thought wouldn't be safe at the deadline actually went anywhere. Chris Taylor (injured recently, so sort of a non-factor for the deadline), Jason Heyward, Gavin Lux — they all stayed. For Edman and Kopech, the Dodgers sent Vargas and a couple of prospects; for Flaherty, they sent Nos. 8 and 22 prospects Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney. However, the Blue Jays did get an unexpected trade piece in the return for Kiermaier: Ryan Yarbrough.

Kiermaier still isn't an ideal fit for the Dodgers. Most of their issues with their outfielders have been about offensive production, and that's exactly what Kiermaier has struggled with throughout his career. His Platinum Glove-caliber defense has been the upside throughout his 12 years in the majors, while the Rays and Blue Jays were able to look past how much his bat lacked — at least, until the Blue Jays weren't anymore.

Still, the Dodgers have had a conundrum in center field ever since James Outman underperformed and was sent back down to the minors (the first time). Andy Pages has been filling in there, but has been subpar defensively, so it feels likely that the Dodgers will put Kiermaier in a rotating role with Pages and Jason Heyward in right to make up for Kiermaier's offense.

It's not a match made in heaven, but the Dodgers do get a plus defender on top of a super utilityman, a reliever who threw and immaculate inning, and one of the best starters in the American League this season. That's a pretty good trade deadline.