A long-rumored deal was finally completed Saturday as the Miami Marlins traded starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three young pitchers. The Dodgers had been angling to land Nolasco for a while and were competing with the San Francisco Giants for his services.
The Marlins will receive pitchers Steven Ames, Josh Wall and Angel Sanchez, and the Dodgers will cover the rest of Nolasco’s current contract. The 30-year-old righty is owed $11.5 million this season, which is the final year of his current deal. There will also be some international signing money exchanged in the trade.
So far this season, Nolasco is 5-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. In 112.1 innings he has allowed 112 hits and 48 earned runs, while striking out 90 and walking 25. He was widely viewed as one of the best starting pitching options available via trade.
Wall is a big, 26-year-old bullpen arm, and Ames is a 25-year-old who is also ticketed for the bullpen, both guys are right-handers. Sanchez is a 23-year-old righty who has a chance to start but most also see him as an eventual bullpen guy as well.
This trade should make the Dodgers better in the short-term as Nolasco should step right into the rotation. After losing Josh Beckett for the season and having to limp along sending Chris Capuano and his 5.19 ERA to the mound every fifth day, Nolasco will seem like manna from heaven.