DODGERS LAND THEIR 2B: LOGAN FORSYTHE
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired second baseman Logan Forsythe from the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Jose De Leon.
What does it give the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers entered the off-season with a major hole to plug in their infield, and now they have done just that by adding Forsythe to the mix. While he has played several different positions in the big leagues, the 30-year-old Forsythe figures to play every day at second base in L.A. He clubbed 20 homers for the Rays in 2016 and should provide more sock at the keystone position for the Dodgers. The price to land Forsythe, however, was rather steep.
What does it give the Tampa Bay Rays
In De Leon, the Rays land arguably the best pitching prospect in baseball. The 24-year-old Puerto Rican logged 17 big-league innings last season and, while he struggled at the highest level, was purely dominant at Triple-A Oklahoma City in '16: 16 starts, 7-1, 2.61 ERA, 111 strikeouts in just 86.1 innings. The trade creates a hole at second base, though there are a few decent internal options to play the position in 2017. This was a great value trade for the Rays.
Fantasy impact
De Leon leaves the prospect of pitching half the time at Chavez Ravine, which might hurt his fantasy stock to some extent. However, he figures to become a prominent member of the Rays' rotation in the not-too-distant future. As for Forsythe, the move to Dodger Stadium may hurt his power numbers in 2017. He should be an everyday player on a contender, though, so he still holds a fair amount of fantasy value.
