(New York) The Los Angeles Dodgers freed up roster space to accommodate the contracts of Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly by trading left-hander Victor Gonzalez and infielder Jorbit Vivas to the New York Yankees.
In return, the Dodgers also receive shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney.
The Dodgers’ 40-man roster was full before this trade. The Dodgers had to release two players to make room for Ohtani, who has a 10-year contract worth $700 million, and Kelly, who just signed a one-year, $8,000,000 pact.
At age 23, Sweeney was on the 20thIt is overall pick in the 2021 draft. He hit .252 with 13 home runs, 49 RBIs and 20 stolen bases last season at the AA level.
Anthony Volpe established himself as a shortstop in his first season in the Majors with the Yankees.
Gonzalez, 28, had a 3-3 record with a 4.01 ERA in 33 relief appearances and one start for the Dodgers in 2023. In 33 2/3 innings, he struck out 33 batters, allowing just 10 hits.
He missed the 2022 season with an arm injury. He has a career record of 9-4 with a 3.32 ERA since joining the Dodgers in 2020.
Vivas is a 22-year-old second and third baseman. He maintained a .280 batting average with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 109 games at the AA level in 2023. It was a little tougher at the AAA level, with a .226 average, one home run, nine RBIs, and four stolen bases in 26 games.
