Dodgers Trade Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp to Reds in Blockbuster Trade
Dodgers outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, catcher Kyle Farmer and left-handed pitcher Alex Wood have been traded to the Cincinnati Reds, the team announced Friday. The Dodgers acquired Reds pitcher Homer Bailey, minor league shortstop Jeter Downs and minor league right-hander Josiah Gray in exchange along with cash considerations.
Puig posted a 2.67 batting average through 2018 with 63 RBIs and 23 home runs. The All-Star outfielder will go to Cincinnati alongside Kemp, who hit 2.90 for 85 RBIs and 21 homers.
Wood finished the season with a 3.68 ERA and 135 strikeouts through 151.2 innings pitched as the Dodgers went 92–71 in the 2018 season, falling to the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 World Series in five games. Los Angeles clinched their sixth straight National League West Championship en route to their second consecutive World Series loss.
The Reds finished at 67–95 for 5th place in the NL Central. Bailey posted a 6.09 ERA, striking out 75 batters through 106.1 innings.
With the deal, the Dodgers will clear substantial amounts of money under the luxury-tax threshold by trading Kemp's $20 million hit this year. Puig and Wood would also both be somewhere between $20 and $22 million each, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports added. Bailey's buyout will cost Los Angeles $28 million, but the tax hit will be just $17.5 million which clears up their outfield logjam and brings the luxury-tax payroll to more than $180 million, which includes money sent to the Reds.
Los Angeles is reportedly among the teams interested in free-agent outfielder Bryce Harper. If they want to stay under the luxury-tax payroll, they will not be able to sign Harper for his desired $300 million. If that's not a concern for the team, Harper is still a possibility, per Passan.
