With midnight last night being the deadline for acquiring a player and having him be eligible to play for your team in the MLB Post-Season, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Michael Young with just under an hour to go, adding his bat for the stretch drive and playoffs. In return, the Phillies receive minor league pitcher Rob Rasmussen. Young waived his no-trade clause in agreeing to the deal to Los Angeles.
The 37-year-old Young, who will be a free agent after this season, is hitting .276/.336/.395 with eight home runs, 42 RBIs, and one stolen base this season in 126 games. Young has made 101 starts at third base and 17 at first base this season, but is considered a below average defender at his current age and mobility.
With Juan Uribe as the Dodgers starting third baseman, and Adrian Gonzalez starting at first base, it is unlikely that Young will see significant playing time. He provides the Dodgers with another bat of the bench though, valuable experience and clubhouse leadership and depth in case of injuries.
“Someone that brings obviously World Series experience, one of the classier people in the game, a winner,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said of the deal. “He can play first or third, can come off the bench. Someone we feel has a lot left.”
Young is a 14-year Major League veteran who entered this season with a career .301/.347/.444 batting line and 177 career home runs and 984 RBIs in 1823 career games. Until signing as a free agent with the Phillies this off-season, he had spent his entire major league career with the Texas Rangers.
After hearing of the deal, Gonzalez, who played with Young in Texas called him, “Another guy who knows how to play the game, a great guy in the clubhouse. He knows how to prepare and be ready for at-bats.”
Rasmussen is a 24-year-old left hander who has split the season between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Albuquerque. He has posted a 4.11 ERA in the two stops, and has 113 Ks and 60 BBs in 135.2 innings pitched. The Dodgers also sent cash to the Phillies as part of the deal.
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