The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a minor trade with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners have sent infielder Pat Valaika to the Dodgers.
Valaika has spent the entire season in the minor leagues and will report to the Oklahoma City Dodgers in Triple-A.
The Dodgers' trade gives the team some more potential depth in the infield. Utility man Chris Taylor has been dealing with a knee injury that he suffered on June 16 and isn't expected to return before the 2023 MLB All-Star break. Shortstop Gavin Lux has missed the entire season with a torn ACL.
In 38 games with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, Valaika hit .240/.343/.405. He had four home runs and 26 RBI.
Valaika split time between the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles from 2016-2021. In the 60-game shortened 2020 campaign, the infielder hit a career-best .277 with eight home runs for the Orioles. Valaika slashed .201/.250/.290 with five homers in 90 games with Baltimore in 2021. It was the last time that Valaika took a big league at-bat.
Injuries and offseason departures have forced Los Angeles to get creative in the infield. Mookie Betts has seen time at second base in 19 games in addition to playing shortstop 15 times. Betts made 133 starts in right field last year.
The Dodgers could be poised to make a bigger move when the 2023 MLB trade deadline gets closer. Los Angeles trails the Arizona Diamondbacks by 2.5 games for first place in the NL West.
The Dodgers are the second NL Wild Card team. They own a slim 1.5-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, which are the first team out of the NL playoff race.
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