Dodgers, Blue Jays complete intriguing trade sending 25-year-old speedster to LA
The Los Angeles Dodgers have completed a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire 25-year-old outfielder Steward Berroa, known for his speed, in exchange for cash considerations. This move follows a similar strategy by the Dodgers to bolster their athleticism in the outfield, having previously acquired Esteury Ruiz, another speedster. Berroa has struggled offensively in the minors, with a lackluster batting average, but his ability to steal bases is a valuable asset. The Dodgers may see Berroa as a potential addition to their playoff roster for pinch-running situations, or they might plan to develop his offensive skills further. The trade reflects the Dodgers' ongoing efforts to enhance their roster's flexibility and athleticism amid a season of strategic adjustments.
Context:
The Los Angeles Dodgers have completed a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire 25-year-old outfielder Steward Berroa, known for his speed, in exchange for cash considerations. This move follows a similar strategy by the Dodgers to bolster their athleticism in the outfield, having previously acquired Esteury Ruiz, another speedster. Berroa has struggled offensively in the minors, with a lackluster batting average, but his ability to steal bases is a valuable asset. The Dodgers may see Berroa as a potential addition to their playoff roster for pinch-running situations, or they might plan to develop his offensive skills further. The trade reflects the Dodgers' ongoing efforts to enhance their roster's flexibility and athleticism amid a season of strategic adjustments.
Dive Deeper:
The Dodgers traded for Steward Berroa from the Blue Jays, aiming to improve their outfield speed, which had diminished with the addition of Michael Conforto.
Esteury Ruiz was previously acquired to bring speed to the team, but he has not yet debuted in the major leagues for the Dodgers.
Berroa has shown exceptional base-stealing ability, with 40 steals last season and consistent high numbers in previous minor-league seasons.
Despite his speed, Berroa's offensive performance has been underwhelming, with a batting average of .195 in Triple-A and .189 in his brief major league stint.
The Dodgers' roster is currently full, with 40 players excluding those on the 60-day injured list, indicating careful management of player assets.
Berroa's acquisition reflects a strategic move by the Dodgers to potentially use him in crucial playoff situations where speed could be decisive.
There is a possibility that the Dodgers see potential in Berroa's offensive skills that could be developed to complement his base-stealing prowess.
Speed plays at any level. The Los Angeles Dodgers may be banking on that parable.
We've seen the Dodgers' outfield get less athletic this season with the arrival of Michael Conforto. They already made one trade to try and add some speed, bringing in former American League stolen base leader Esteury Ruiz from the Athletics.
While Ruiz is doing well in the minors, he hasn't yet debuted for the Dodgers in the big leagues. Meanwhile, it seems as though LA feels it could still use another Ruiz-like player in their system to give themselves more flexibility.
That prompted a second trade from the Dodgers to land yet another minor-league speedster.
On Monday, the Dodgers announced they had acquired outfielder Steward Berroa from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations. The 40-man roster now stands at 40, excluding players on the 60-day injured list.
Berroa, 25, was struggling at the plate in Triple-A for the Blue Jays, posting a .195/.267/.234 slash line in 24 games. He debuted in the majors last year as Toronto was falling out of the playoff race and slashed .189/.333/.216 in his first 28 big-league games.
If there's one thing Berroa can do, though, it's steal bases. He racked up 40 steals between the majors and minors last season, and totaled 58, 47, and 47 steals in the three minor-league campaigns beforehand.
It could be that the Dodgers are looking to find one ideal speedster to add to their playoff roster for pinch-running situations. But there's always a chance they see something else in Berroa's offensive profile they like and think they can exploit.
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