With two months until the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled a fast one on the rest of Major League Baseball.
With an army of pitchers on the injured list, the Dodgers decided now was the time to bring in some high-upside reinforcements. On Thursday, they pulled off a trade for a Cincinnati Reds reliever who made the National League All-Star team in 2023.
Only one complication: that reliever was also demoted to Triple-A earlier this season.
According to multiple reports, the Dodgers have acquired Alexis Díaz, the 28-year-old right-hander with 75 career saves, from the Cincinnati Reds. In return, they are sending righty Mike Villani, their 2024 13th-round draft pick, back to the Reds.
Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post were first with the news that a deal was close, while Robert Murray of FanSided reported the trade's final details.
Díaz, the younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, looked as though he was on a star trajectory from 2022 to 2023, when he began his career with a 1.84 ERA in a setup role, then posted a 3.07 ERA and 37 saves in his first full season as closer.
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However, he had a 3.99 ERA in 2024 and saw his strikeout rate drop from 30.1 percent to 22.7 percent. Then, he was demoted to Triple-A in April following a 12.00 ERA and 2.17 WHIP in his first six outings of the new season.
The Dodgers still clearly believe Díaz can be an effective major leaguer, though ESPN's Alden González reported he won't be called up to the active roster right away.
And with big names like Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen, and Michael Kopech on the injured list, he could eventually get opportunities in high-leverage situations.
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