Dodgers Find New Shortstop in Deal With Unexpected Team; Send Disappointing Pitcher in Return

The Los Angeles Dodgers have really been without a reliable shortstop since Trea Turner left in free agency after last season. They hope they've finally plugged that hole with the acquisition of Amed Rosario from the Cleveland Guardians.

Per multiple reports, the Guardians are sending Amed Rosario to the Dodgers in exchange for Noah Syndergaard.

The two previously played together for the Mets. pic.twitter.com/T3gEVdTtzB

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) July 26, 2023

In exchange, the Guardians receive starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who was actually a teammate of Rosario with the New York Mets in a previous life. 

Neither player is having a good season, and the two teams will be hoping that a change of scenery will help them both. Rosario is batting .265 with a .675 OPS, with just three home runs, 40 RBIs and seven stolen bases. His OPS+ is 89, which is 11% worse than the average hitter. In addition, he ranks 26th in the majors among shortstops in Outs Above Average, at minus-26, and 19th in Defensive Runs Saved, at minus-19.

Syndergaard has been even more of a bust for the Dodgers. After signing a one-year, $13M deal, he's gone 1-4 with a 7.16 ERA while striking out a career-low 6.2 batters per nine innings. He hasn't pitched since early June due to blister problems, but could be ready to return soon. 

For the Guardians, the move was done to give an opportunity for a couple of top up-and-coming infield prospects. 

“[Syndergaard] adds to our Major League pitching depth” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “He is ready to rejoin the Major League rotation. … It also provides us an opportunity to provide some playing time to [Gabriel] Arias and Tyler Freeman at the Major League level and get them some more opportunities.”

Both Rosario and Syndergaard will be free agents after the season.

The Guardians are at .500, 2.0 games back of the Minnesota Twins for top spot in the AL Central; the Dodgers are 58-43, 3.0 games up on the San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West. 

Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports