Dodgers News: LA makes trade with A’s, players starting 2024 season on IL

It might be hard to believe, but the Dodgers actually have had things going on that don't involve Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara. It's been a brutal week for LA and MLB as a whole, with the face of the game embroiled in a scandal that has also raised a lot of questions about the league's recent foray into sports betting. Still, there's a Home Opener to prepare for — a roster to finalize, players to trim, and injuries to keep on your radar.

We won't hear the end of the Ohtani-Mizuhara situation for a long time, but here are a few smaller moves the Dodgers have made over the past week that will affect the shape of the team heading into Opening Day.

Dodgers trade TJ McFarland to the Athletics

McFarland was picked up by the Dodgers on a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training at the end of January as a possible reclamation project. He'd previously spent 2023 in the Mets and Orioles organizations and only saw 1 2/3 innings of major league playing time, but he did leave Baltimore with a 1.80 ERA over 30 innings in Triple-A.

He even looked good for the Dodgers in spring camp this year, pitching 6 2/3 innings to a 1.35 ERA. Even so, the Dodgers traded him to the Athletics for cash on Tuesday afternoon.

On a less crowded roster, McFarland could've had more of an argument as a spring training breakout. He pitched more innings than Ryan Brasier or Daniel Hudson (and logged a better ERA), but given his almost complete absence from the majors in 2023, it makes some sense that he'd be passed over by the Dodgers, who also sent Landon Knack, Gus Varland, and JP Feyereisen back to Triple-A last week.

The A's selected McFarland to the 40-man, and he could have a much better shot to make their Opening Day roster given that his spring training performance blew most of Oakland's relievers out of the water.

Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen to begin season on the IL

The losses of Graterol and Treinen from the bullpen came in brutally close quick succession a few weeks ago during spring training; Graterol with shoulder discomfort and Treinen with a rib/lung contusion caused by a line drive to the torso. It was decided early on that Graterol wouldn't be ready to go by the Seoul Series, but Treinen did travel to Korea with the team, leaving a glimmer of hope that he would be ready by the Home Opener.

However, both will be out of comission to start the season. The Dodgers placed both on the 15-day IL last week, along with Emmet Sheehan and Walker Buehler. Graterol's injury seems like it could go a bit deeper than a shoulder issue, though; he said that the discomfort was caused by a change in his mechanics that stemmed from a hip issue. Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin will also begin the year (and spend most of the season) on the IL.

Michael Grove, Kyle Hurt, and Daniel Hudson survived the most recent round of Dodgers cuts to fill in during both Graterol and Treinen's absences.

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