Twins acquire Maeda from Dodgers for Graterol in multi-player trade
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded right-hander Kenta Maeda, catching prospect Jair Camargo, and cash to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-hander Brusdar Graterol, outfielder Luke Raley, and the 67th pick (Competitive Balance Round B) in the 2020 draft, the Dodgers announced Monday.
Minnesota will receive $10 million in the deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Graterol was originally traded to Boston as part of a three-team deal, with the Red Sox sending Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles and Maeda landing in Minnesota. But the Red Sox backed out after citing issues with Graterol's medical, leaving the Twins and Dodgers to complete a separate trade.
Boston agreed to deal Betts and Price to the Dodgers for three prospects in a revised trade on Sunday.
Maeda had spent his four-year major-league career with the Dodgers. He's under contract through 2023 at a base salary of $3 million per season, but the 31-year-old can earn up to $13 million annually through performance bonuses based on games started and innings pitched, according to Cot's Contracts.
His contract also calls for a $1 million assignment bonus that Sunday's trade triggers, and an annual $150,000 bonus for making the Opening Day roster.
The Dodgers shuffled Maeda between the rotation and bullpen throughout the last three seasons. Though he's pitched better out of the bullpen, Maeda did express unhappiness earlier this offseason about not getting a set role with the Dodgers.
Maeda's career splits
| Role | GP | ERA | WHIP | HR | K/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP | 103 | 3.92 | 1.16 | 71 | 9.6 |
| RP | 34 | 3.19 | 0.99 | 6 | 12.3 |
Maeda will likely receive a permanent spot in the Twins' rotation, bolstering a staff that includes returning pitchers Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi, plus free-agent signee Homer Bailey. Veteran left-hander Rich Hill, who signed with the Twins earlier this winter, and righty Michael Pineda, who was re-signed, will join the rotation around midseason.
Graterol, who MLB Pipeline ranks as the 83rd-best prospect in baseball, made his MLB debut with the Twins last September. After a successful minor-league campaign, he posted a 4.66 ERA with 10 strikeouts and two walks in 9 2/3 innings for the Twins as a reliever, and the 21-year-old also threw a scoreless inning in the ALDS.
He possesses an electric four-pitch arsenal. During his brief big-league stint last year, Graterol's fastball averaged 98.8 mph, while his sinker clocked in at an average of 99 mph, according to Baseball Savant.
Brusdar Graterol's 🔥 stuff. pic.twitter.com/Z1ZZdW9CNU
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 9, 2020
The Dodgers originally drafted Raley in the seventh round in 2016. Los Angeles traded him to Minnesota at the 2018 non-waiver deadline for second baseman Brian Dozier.
The 25-year-old hit .302/.362/.516 with seven homers and 21 RBIs over 33 games for Triple-A Rochester last season. Raley missed a large portion of the 2019 campaign after undergoing ankle tendon surgery in May.
Camargo, 19, put up a .642 OPS in 79 games last season while playing Single-A.