LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired pitcher Ryan Yarbrough from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday after being rebuffed in their pursuit of Detroit Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez.
Rodriguez used his no-trade clause to block a trade, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“To have a chance to come to a team with guys that he’s familiar with, on a team that’s playing for a championship, it’s surprising,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers traded for pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly last week, but mdidn't land any of the biggest names available at the deadline.
“The top end of the market, we were aggressive in pursuing,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “The group below that, kind of the versatile arm, floor-raiser, someone that fits in well with our existing group and helps augment our depth, we were more price-sensitive on.”
The Dodgers are waiting on three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to return from a shoulder injury, as well as lefty Julio Urías to overcome an issue with the index finger on his throwing hand.
“I like our ballclub,” Roberts said. “You’re always trying to get better, but as it stands right now we just got to get our guys back to health. It’s still a very, very talented ballclub.”
Los Angeles is hoping Walker Buehler returns in September after rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
In exchange for Yarbrough, the Dodgers sent minor league infielders Devin Mann and Derlin Figueroa.
The 31-year-old Yarbrough was 4-5 with a 4.24 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 14 appearances, including seven starts, with the Royals. The left-hander helped the Royals sweep Minnesota on Sunday.
Yarbrough has spent parts of six seasons in the majors, having also pitched for Tampa Bay from 2018-2022. He has a career mark of 44-36 with a 4.32 ERA.
Roberts said he wasn't sure whether Yarbrough would be a starter or work out of the bullpen.
“A versatile arm that fits in with our group and helps stabilize,” Friedman said.
In other moves, the Dodgers sent righty Phil Bickford and lefty Adam Kolarek to the New York Mets for cash.
Bickford was designed for assignment by the Dodgers on Saturday. He was 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA in 36 games this season.
Kolarek spent most of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was 0-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 33 games.
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