The Los Angeles Dodgers were somewhat quiet at this season’s MLB trade deadline, but one of the moves they did make has paid dividends in an intriguing fashion.
Los Angeles acquired outfielder Alex Call late last month despite other clubs such as the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies showing interest in a potential deal.
While he is not a home run specialist, the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal highlighted that Call’s lone home run with Los Angeles was the team’s deepest long ball of the campaign.
“With 20 home runs in nearly 1,000 major-league plate appearances, outfielder Alex Call isn’t exactly known as a slugger. Yet his only home run as a Dodger, a 453-foot shot at Coors Field on Tuesday, stands as the team’s longest of the season. Call, 30, was tickled by his achievement:,” Rosenthal wrote.
“Call’s previous club, the Washington Nationals, is deep in young outfielders, so he suspected he might get moved at the deadline. A friend with another team informed him the New York Yankees were doing background work on him. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reported the Philadelphia Phillies were interested. Ultimately, the Dodgers acquired him for two minor leaguers.”
Across 18 games with the Dodgers, Call has slapped 10 base hits and posted an .847 OPS. The 30-year-old was certainly amped when Nationals interim general manager Mike DeBartolo told him that he was headed to Chavez Ravine,
“On deadline day, I was just watching the ticker, relaxing at home,” Call said. “Then all of a sudden, I got a call. (Nats interim GM) Mike DeBartolo said we traded you to the Dodgers. I was like, ‘The Dodgers!’”
Only time will tell if Call can mash more surprising home runs as the Dodgers attempt to end the regular season at the top of the National League West.
