Dodgers trade former top prospect to Pirates as bullpen cleanup continues

Last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated Tayler Scott for assignment and then found a suitor for him on the trade market when they dealt the right-hander to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations.

On Sunday, the Dodgers conducted more of the same business as they look to refine their bullpen/Triple-A pitching depth at the margins, this time shipping out another arm they DFA'd not too long ago.

Former top prospect Andre Jackson, who failed to secure a foothold on the Dodgers pitching staff after countless chances over the last few years, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in another cash deal. The Pirates have stashed him at Triple-A Indianapolis.

This doesn't necessarily help the Dodgers in the short term, but it helps them make room for future acquisitions, especially if they want to bolster the staff at Triple-A OKC and use better depth options as their next line of defense in the event of injuries or poor performance at the MLB level.

Andrew Friedman receiving cash for both Scott and Jackson helped the Dodgers get something out of nothing, which may create some more wiggle room for deadline deals involving players with larger salaries. Nothing crazy, but certainly a smart way to subsidize future costs.

Dodgers trade Andre Jackson to Pirates as bullpen cleanup continues

Heading into the 2022 season, Jackson was the Dodgers' No. 7-ranked prospect. He was drafted by LA back in 2017 in the 12th round and made his MLB debut in 2021. After a solid start to his career across 21.1 innings in 2021 and 2022, Jackson caught whatever ailment the rest of the Dodgers' bullpen did over the last few months.

The right-hander appeared in seven games and logged a 6.62 ERA, 5.65 FIP and 1.42 WHIP in 17.2 innings. He allowed five home runs and 22 hits overall. He had previously struggled with walks, but this time he found far too much of the strike zone and got pummeled instead.

The fact the Dodgers got anything for the 27-year-old feels like a massive win, especially because he had only one minor-league option remaining.

The Dodgers are expecting both Daniel Hudson and Jimmy Nelson to join the MLB roster soon, which would free up two spots on the OKC roster. It's evident they want better options instead of middling arms that have struggled to take the next step, which is why Scott and Jackson were promptly dealt not too long after they started to falter.

These smaller deals could very well pave the way for bigger ones, and with the bullpen starting to show some improvements, this area of the roster could become a strength fairly quickly.