Dodgers Complete Granderson Acquisition

By John Manuel
on August 20, 2017

THE DEAL

The Dodgers don’t just have the best record in baseball, but they’re challenging for the best record in major league history, the 116 regular-season wins by the Mariners in 2001 and the 1908 Cubs. So naturally the Dodgers are still active in the waiver trade period, right?

They are, acquiring veteran Curtis Granderson for their outfield from the Mets for a player to be named. The player was settled upon Sunday, Aug. 20, as righthander Jacob Rhame.

DODGERS ACQUIRE Curtis Granderson, of Age: 36

Granderson is expected to replace Joc Pederson in the Dodgers’ outfield after Pederson’s prolonged summer struggles. The Dodgers optioned Pederson to Triple-A Oklahoma on Sunday, so Granderson likely will get outfield at-bats against righthanded pitchers. The 36-year-old has hit .226/.344/.496 against righthanders this season and .265/.356/.501 for his career, in which he’s amassed 312 home runs and nearly 46 career WAR, according to baseball-reference.com.

2017 Club	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB
New York (NL)	.228	.334	.481	337	58	77	22	3	19	52	53	90	4

METS ACQUIRE Jacob Rhame, rhp Age: 24

Rhame, 24, was pitching at Triple-A Oklahoma for the second year and is yet another righthanded reliever acquired by the Mets while unloading veterans such as Jay Bruce, Neil Walker and Lucas Duda. The 2013 sixth-round pick ranked No. 31 on BA’s Dodgers farm system coming into the year and has improved many elements of his performance in 2017. He has improved his strikeout rate (10.31 strikeouts per nine from 10.0) and walk rate (4 to 1.88) but has proven more hittable this season.

Rhame, who relies heavily on a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, has shortened his arm stroke since signing out of Grayson (Texas) CC and has improved his ability to throw more strikes, enough so to serve as Oklahoma City’s closer in last year’s Pacific Coast League playoffs. His slider has become his best secondary pitch, but he also throws a curveball and changeup.