Dodgers acquire shortstop Miguel Rojas from Marlins

The Dodgers fortified their infield protection by buying veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas from the Miami Marlins for infield prospect Jacob Amaya on Wednesday, a transfer that would push Gavin Lux to extra of a second-base function and utility man Chris Taylor to extra of an outfield function.

Rojas, who turns 34 in February, is an elite defender whose offensive manufacturing dipped final season, when he hit .236 with a .605 on-base-plus-slugging share, six homers, 19 doubles and 36 RBIs in 140 video games.

The Venezuelan native batted .265 with a .713 OPS, 9 homers, 30 doubles and 48 RBIs in 132 video games in 2021 and .304 with an .888 OPS, 4 homers, 10 doubles and 20 RBIs in 40 video games in pandemic-shortened 2020.

A proper hand harm might have contributed to his offensive struggles in 2022 — Rojas caught his hand on a slide into third base within the first recreation after the All-Star break and hit .230 with a .557 OPS and no homers in his last 58 video games. He underwent surgical procedure to take away cartilage from the wrist in October.

The 6-foot, 188-pound Rojas, who made his large league debut with the Dodgers in 2014, was acquired extra for his glove and powerful and correct throwing arm than his bat.

Rojas was a Gold Glove finalist in 2022, and he ranked second behind Dansby Swanson with 15 defensive runs saved and tied for fifth amongst large league shortstops with 10 outs above common, in keeping with Fangraphs.

Rojas has made nearly all of his large league begins (640) at shortstop, however he has additionally made 109 begins at first base, 99 at third base and 73 at second base. He’s anticipated to play third base, shortstop and second base with the Dodgers and compete with Lux for the beginning shortstop job.

The plan getting into this winter was to maneuver Lux to shortstop to interchange Trea Turner, who signed an 11-year, $300-million cope with the Philadelphia Phillies, however some scouts query whether or not Lux has the arm energy and accuracy to play the place on an on a regular basis foundation.

The acquisition of Rojas might permit Lux to play extra second base, a place he appears extra suited to and that can be extra bodily demanding — requiring extra vary and quickness — with baseball banning infield shifts in 2023.

Lux got here up within the group as a shortstop, however with Corey Seager entrenched on the place in Los Angeles from 2016-21, he was moved to second base and to the outfield for a short time in 2021.

Max Muncy was anticipated to play largely second base, however Wednesday’s deal might push the slugger extra towards third base, the place he might cut up time with rookie Miguel Vargas.

Taylor has performed three infield positions and all three outfield spots, and he is perhaps the very best defensive possibility to interchange departed middle fielder Cody Bellinger, who signed with the Chicago Cubs.

Rojas will make $5 million in 2023, the ultimate yr of a two-year, $10-million deal he signed earlier than 2022, and his wage will push the Dodgers’ aggressive steadiness tax payroll to about $242 million, effectively over the $233-million luxurious tax threshold.

The Dodgers hoped to remain below the cap for the primary time in a full season since 2019, thus resetting their penalties to the bottom attainable stage and higher positioning themselves for a possible run at Shohei Ohtani, the Angels’ two-way phenom who can grow to be a free agent after subsequent season.

However the $22.5 million the Dodgers should pay pitcher Trevor Bauer, who was designated for project Friday within the wake of his violation of baseball’s sexual assault and home violence coverage, truly pushed the staff above the primary threshold, and Rojas’ contract added one other chunk to that quantity.

Rojas signed out of Venezuela with the Cincinnati Reds in 2005 and with the Dodgers as a free agent in 2012. He performed 85 video games for the Dodgers in 2014 earlier than being traded together with Dee Unusual-Gordon and Dan Haren to Miami for Austin Barnes, Enrique Hernandez, Andrew Heaney and Chris Hatcher.

The spotlight of his first stint with the Dodgers was an outstanding play Rojas made on a Troy Tulowitzki two-hopper down the third-base line within the seventh inning to protect Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter over the Colorado Rockies on June 18, 2014.

Amaya, 24, an 11^th-round choose in 2017, is a slick defender with a eager eye on the plate. The previous West Covina South Hills Excessive standout hit a mixed .261 with a .795 OPS, 17 homers and 71 RBIs in 133 video games for double-A Tulsa and triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis in 2022, with 112 strikeouts and 81 walks in 476 at-bats.