The Los Angeles Angels made a trade with the Chicago White Sox to improve their pitching staff. Now it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers turn.
To that end, the Dodgers and White Sox have made a trade that will send Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to Los Angeles. In exchange, the White Sox get pitching prospects Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure along with outfielder Trayce Thompson.
Los Angeles Dodgers hope for resurgence from pair of veteran arms
A typically solid pitcher, Lynn has been a disappointment this season. He has posted a 6.47 ERA and a 1.462 WHiP in his 119.2 innings, serving up a major league leading 86 earned runs and 28 homers. However, Lynn also has a career best 10.8 K/9 rate while his 3.4 BB/9 rate is close to his career norms. It is possible that a change of scenery, and a move to a contender, will get him back on track.
The same can be said of Kelly. The former Dodgers reliever has also struggled this season, posting a 4.97 ERA and a 1.310 WHiP over his 29 innings, striking out 41 batters with 12 walks. Those numbers are actually an improvement from his performance last season, but is still a far cry from the pitcher he was at the end of his first tenure in Los Angeles.
The biggest prize going back to the White Sox is Nastrini. Baseball Prospectus had Nastrini rated as their 56th best prospect in baseball heading into the 2023 season and he has done nothing to show otherwise. He has posted a 4.03 ERA and a 1.398 WHiP over his 73.2 innings in Double-A, walking 37 batters with 85 strikeouts. Nastrini has the potential for three plus pitches with his upper 90s fastball, slider, and curve. He is also working on a changeup that shows the potential to be an average offering at worse. It is just a matter of whether or not he can command his arsenal as to whether or not he sticks in the rotation.
Leasure is an intriguing arm although he is strictly a reliever. He has posted a 3.09 ERA and a 1.057 WHiP in his 35 Double-A innings, striking out 56 batters with 16 walks. His calling card is his high octane fastball, as his command and secondary offerings are fringy at best. Thompson gives the White Sox someone capable of playing all three outfield positions with a bit of pop and years of team control.
This trade could be more than a somewhat expensive rental for the Dodgers. Both Lynn and Kelly could be brought back for 2024 if they so desire. A strong showing over the final few weeks could make that happen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a move to fortify their rotation. Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly are heading out west.
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