Dodgers acquire Wilson to shore up Bullpen
The trading deadline arrives at 4 pm today and teams are franticly trying to make that last deal that will help send them to the playoffs or to start rebuilding for the future. Out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have come from last to first over the course of just one month, winning 26 out of their past 32 games prior to their game on Tuesday night with the New York Yankees.
Los Angeles now holds a 3½ game lead over the second place Arizona Diamondbacks and 6 ½ over the third place Colorado Rockies.
The Dodgers added to their starting rotation via the trade earlier this month when they snatched up Ricky Nolasco from the Miami Marlins. The veteran right-hander is 1-1 with two no decisions since joining the Dodgers on July 9. Add his experience to Clayton Kershaw, the leader in the NL in ERA, Zack Greinke and rookie Hyun-Lin Ryu and you have a formidable starting rotation.
However, the starters are not going to pitch complete game gems night in and night out and that is where the bullpen comes in. Los Angeles has an average bullpen with Kenley Jansen as the closer with 14 saves and 16 holds. However, the bullpen is a far cry from the quality of the team’s starting rotation.
Well, that might have been the case prior to Tuesday. The Dodgers have agreed to a deal with Brian Wilson, a free agent and the former closer for the San Francisco Giants. While with San Francisco for seven seasons, Wilson recorded 171 saves and Tuesday he signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers.
Wilson, who is just 31, had Tommy John surgery in April of 2012 after appearing in just two games in the early season with San Francisco. He became non-tendered by the Giants after earning $8.5 million for the 2012 season.
The idea say insiders is Wilson will start a two-week plan that will bring him to the major leagues in the near future, He will start in Arizona at the Dodgers spring training facilities, then move on to Rancho Cucamonga, the team’s Class A affiliate and if all is as they hope, report to the Dodgers shortly thereafter.
Wilson has been an All-Star three times and in 2010 had 48 saves that led all of baseball. Between 2008 and the end of the 2011 season, Wilson allowed just 15.1% of his inherited runners to reach home plate. That rate for that period was the best in baseball.
Once with Los Angeles, Wilson will most likely start with a setup role to help Paco Rodriguez and Ronald Belisario, whom then pass it off to closer Jansen.
Since Jansen starting closing for the Dodgers on June 11, he has a record of 2-0 with an ERA of 1.69 with 12 saves in 14 opportunities. Los Angeles started their season with the high-priced Brandon League as their closer, but his struggles made it necessary for manager Don Mattingly to make a change.
Most likely the Dodgers are done with their dealing in trades and move on with whom they now have in their lineup for their playoff run.
