*Photo from Dodger Blue*
The Minnesota Twins have acquired RHP Kenta Maeda from the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Twins are also receiving $10 million in cash considerations and a low level prospect from the Dodgers in the trade. RHP Brusdar Graterol and the 67th overall pick in the 2020 draft head to the Dodgers in return for Maeda. The trade has been confirmed and is now official.
Graterol was the Twins top pitching prospect prior to the trade, and he made his major league debut last season, appearing in relief for the Twins. He went 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He threw 9 2/3 innings and struck out 10 batters last season. Graterol was originally headed to the Boston Red Sox in a 3 team trade that involved Mookie Betts, but the trade fell through due to the Red Sox disappointment with the result of Graterol's medical review. As a result, the Dodgers completed two different trades: A revised version of the Betts deal, and this deal involving Maeda. Graterol could join the Dodgers bullpen, but he could also be in the mix to start at some point in the season should an injury occur to a starter in the Dodgers rotation.
Maeda prefers to start, but he spent some of 2019 coming out of the bullpen, going 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA in 37 games, 26 of them being starts. Maeda threw 153 2/3 innings last season, and struck out 169 batters. In his 4 major league seasons, Maeda is 47-35 with a 3.87 ERA over 137 games, with 103 of them being starts. Maeda has 641 strikeouts in his 4 seasons. Maeda will be in the mix for a starting rotation spot with the Twins, as RHP Michael Pineda is out for the first 39 games of 2020 as he finishes a PED suspension, and LHP Rich Hill is out until at least June as he recovers from offseason surgery. When Pineda and Hill return, Maeda could be sent to the bullpen, or Pineda and/or Hill could wind up in the bullpen if Maeda is performing good enough to start the regular season.
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