The Los Angeles Dodgers shook up their National League-championship roster Friday, trading Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp and left-hander Alex Wood and cash to the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Homer Bailey, who threw a pair of no-hitters before three major arm operations sidetracked his career.
The Dodgers also get minor leaguers Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray.
The deal gives Los Angeles a couple of prospects and a couple of slots to fill. For the Reds, it’s another move toward becoming competitive after four straight 90-loss seasons.
“We still have (financial) resources to make this team better — we’re not done yet,” said Dick Williams, the Reds’ president of baseball operations. “We did trade some good prospects here, but we acquired four major league players that address needs for us and I think we’re better in the short-term.”
Last week, the Reds traded pitching prospect Tanner Rainey to the Nationals for 32-year-old starter Tanner Roark, who led the National League in losses last season while going 9-15 with a 4.34 ERA.
Cincinnati didn’t know what to do with Bailey, who went 1-14 last season with a 6.09 ERA and resisted a move to the bullpen. He has one year left on his contract and is owed $28 million.
Wood gives the Reds another upgrade to their young rotation, which has been their biggest weakness the last two seasons. He was an All-Star for the Dodgers in 2017, going 16-3 with a 2.72 ERA. He was 9-7 last season with a 3.68 ERA in 27 starts and six relief appearances.
“We think he’s a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy who’s going to fit in really well,” Williams said.
The Reds’ outfield was in flux when they chose not to tender a contact to Billy Hamilton, making him a free agent. Puig is expected to play right field. He’s in the final year of a seven-year, $42 million deal.
Kemp, 34, batted .290 with 25 doubles, 21 homers and 85 RBIs last season, when he was an All-Star for the third time.