Dodgers Acquire Mat Latos, maybe Michael Morse?

Fans were getting desperate for a move, and Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman finally made one, which was broken by a Chicago Sun-Times writer.

Mat Latos has had a rough season with Miami, posting a 4.47 ERA and a 4-7 record in 16 starts. His 3.34 FIP is better than it was last year, but he currently holds the worst ERA+ since his rookie season and hasn’t exactly been a model teammate in his career. He had some unkind parting words when he was traded by Cincinnati and he rubbed some teammates the wrong way as a brash, cocky rookie in San Diego.

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While his overall numbers don’t look great, they’re inflated by a borderline-impressive Marlins debut, in which Latos lasted 2/3rd of an inning and gave up six hits and seven earned runs to the Braves. He’s been better since then, and he’s been dominant of late, having allowed over three runs just once since his return from the DL on June 13. He’s only failed to go six innings once since then, which is something the Dodgers desperately need down the stretch. His early season struggles could be related to the knee injury that put him on the DL, so it looks like that might be a thing of the past.

Latos will be a free agent after this season and won’t be 28 until December, so he should be highly motivated to perform and increase his value heading into what should be his big free agent years. For what it’s worth, in 87 career innings (13 starts) against the Giants, Latos has a 2.17 ERA and has thrown two complete games. He’s not the ace that many want, but he shores up the rotation and should be a better postseason option than Mike Bolsinger or Carlos Frias.

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers also take on Morse, who is essentially an older Scott Van Slyke. Morse is arguably having the worst year of his career, with a .214/.277/.314 slash line and only four home runs. Since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 2010, Morse has never failed to hit double digit home runs and has only hit under .270 once, when he hit .215 in 2013. In the postseason last year, Morse hit a game-tying home run in game five of the NLCS off Cardinals pitcher Pat Neshek and won his first championship with the Giants.

Morse is owed $8 million next year, and joins an already-overcrowded bench and outfield. The Dodgers don’t really have use for him, but taking on his contract was enough for the Marlins to throw in their competitive balance pick in next years’ draft, which should be between the first and second rounds. There’s a chance Morse gets DFA’d and the Dodgers just got the Marlins out of that contract to take on the pick and lessen the prospect cost for Latos.

At the time of writing, it looks like the Dodgers will be sending RHP Jeff Brigham and two other unknown pitching prospects to Miami. There are also rumors that Morse will be flipped, but I’ve had this story prewritten since 10 and have to leave for the stadium now. It will be updated with final details later.

UPDATE #1-

Like, 20 minutes after I post this, the trade might be falling apart. Baseball is dumb.