Minnesota Twins: Brian Dozier heads to the Los Angeles Dodgers in teams fifth trade at the deadline

The Minnesota Twins made a deal to part ways with clubhouse leader Brian Dozier as they send him to the Dodgers in their fifth trade deadline deal.

The Minnesota Twins have been very busy since publicly staking their claim as sellers for the 2018 version of the trade deadline. With just about 30 minutes left before the deadline hit at 3 p.m. CT the news broke that the Twins would be trading Brian Dozier to the Los Angeles Dodgers for 2B Logan Forsythe, OF/1B Luke Raley, and LHP Devin Smeltzer.

Dozier to the Dodgers is a move that has been speculated about plenty. Not just this trade deadline but in off seasons past as well. It seems only fitting that after there were rumors that Dozier may end up with the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, or even the Cleveland Indians that he would end up in Los Angeles in the end.

The slugging second baseman heads to the Dodgers as he tries to fully break out of his struggles at the plate to this point in the season. Dozier’s season numbers sit at .224/.305/.402 with a .708 OPS and 16 home runs. Dozier has always been historically slow to begin seasons and it appears his patented hot streak could be on the horizon as he has hit .248/.310/.455 with 5 home runs in the month of July.

In the short-term, Dozier will help fill in for a Dodgers infield which is missing both Corey Seager (out for the season) and Justin Turner. Once Turner is healthy, it will be interesting to see how the Dodgers find playing time for Dozier, Turner, Manny Machado, and rookie Max Muncy. Not to mention this now sets up an National League West showdown between Dozier and former teammate Eduardo Escobar.

The Twins return package

In return, the Twins receive the player the Dodgers opted to go with instead of Dozier during the 2016-2017 offseason, Logan Forsythe. Forsythe, who is also a free agent at season’s end, has been a disappointment for the Dodgers.

This season in 70 games the second baseman is hitting .207/.270/.290. His best season was in 2015 with the Tampa Bay Rays when he slashed .281/.359/.444. Forsythe’s inclusion in the deal is likely to make the money work and he also allows the Twins to keep Nick Gordon at Triple-A until he is absolutely ready to see major league action.

More from Puckett's Pond

• Minnesota Twins: Does the MLB or the Twins have a Spending Problem?
• Minnesota Twins: 2 Possible Free Agent Reunions for 2023
• Minnesota Twins: Holiday Wish List for the rest of the Offseason
• Minnesota Twins: After signing with the Mets, Correa spurns Twins again
• Minnesota Twins: You Spin Me Right Round, Right Round

23-year-old OF/1B Luke Raley is likely the player the Twins targeted in this deal. Raley is currently playing at the Double-A level and has hit .275/.345/.477 and has a .822 OPS with 17 home runs. Raley entered the preseason and the Dodgers 29th prospect on MLB Pipeline and has jumped up to 19th in the most recent re-ranking.

Devin Smeltzer is also at Double-A for the Dodgers and has appeared in 23 games and made 14 starts in his age 22 season. He is 5-5 with a 4.73 ERA over 83.2 innings pitched. Neither Smeltzer or Raley are highly ranked prospects and would settle in around a C prospect ranking in both cases. Which speaks to the level to which Dozier’s value has fallen with his underwhelming performance in 2018.

As the trade deadline passed, the Twins front office made five deadline deals. While the front office will take a big fail on how the 2018 season went, they have to get a solid passing grade on how they pivoted and acquired talent at the deadline.

Not only did the Twins acquire more talent to add to an already strong farm system. They have cleared some space to see what some of their young players have to offer to the major league club. Then this offseason the front office will have plenty of assets to make a trade and plenty of money to go after some high-priced free agents once again to field a competitive team in 2019.