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Dodgers bolster pitching in 13-player deal with Braves, Marlins; Atlanta gets

But the overall price is nonetheless significant.

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In this deal, the Dodgers would receive starter Alex Wood, relievers Jim Johnson and Luis Avilan, and top prospect Jose Peraza from the Braves. He has batted. 303 in five minor-league seasons and was hitting. “Look, we just don’t have the upper-level bats that are in the (minor league) system”. That is going to make for some painful decisions.

The Dodgers received a lot of what they needed to improve their team for the playoffs.

Braves starter Alex Wood was one of seven players the Dodgers acquired as part of a 13-player trade Thursday.

Keeping that in mind, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves are in the process of pulling off a massive three-team blockbuster which involves right-hander Mat Latos, first baseman Michael Morse, left-hander Alex Wood, and Cuban infielder Hector Olivera. Phelps is 4-7 this year with a 3.86 ERA in 20 games, including 16 starts. He hit. 289 on the season with no home runs and four RBI. But his strikeout rate has dipped from the 8.9 per nine innings of his first two seasons to 6.8 this year, and his WHIP (walks/hits per innings pitched) has climbed from 1.142 last year to 1.408.

The plans all went awry, mostly through injuries and poor production. The rise of 18-year-old shortstop Ozzie Albies and other young infield prospects turned Peraza’s status from almost untouchable to expendable rather quickly. At 30-years-old, or so they say, Olivera is not the type of prospect you want to wait on too long.

“We really tried to sign the guy and the Dodgers came in and blew us out of the water financially”, Hart said before a game at Philadelphia. He hasn’t played in the majors, but could join their lineup soon after his strained hamstring heals. However, they could still trade him before the deadline. Giving up the draft pick seems like a curious move for a rebuilding team. “500 and not performing the way we felt like this team was capable of performing”. “He’s affordable for us, and we feel like this is going to give us the opportunity to do more things to build the club”.

So the Dodgers take on some payroll, as they’ll do, plus part ways with Olivera, a promising 30-year-old infielder who has been limited to 19 minor league games this year by injury.

Olivera is 30, but Hart nonetheless believes he is the prime of his career.

Beachy was slated to start on Thursday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, but that start instead went to Randy Fontanez. He hasn’t played in 2 ½ weeks.

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Dan Haren didn’t let the uncertainty distract him – as it did the past two days for now former teammates Mat Latos and Michael Morse – as he dueled with Nationals All-Star Max Scherzer. Now they will take on the remaining $31.25 million as the Dodgers already paid the bulk of his $28 million signing bonus. He also missed the final three weeks of last season because of a bone bruise in his right elbow. He owns a 2.53 ERA over 124 major league appearances. This should help him maintain a higher on-base than Cespedes, even if his average is not much better. 174 by lefties. He is just 24 years old, and could be controlled through the 2019 season. Brigham, who had Tommy John surgery, has arm strength, with his fastball touching 97 miles per hour at times, and he shows glimpses of a good hard slider.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports