Editorials

Dodgers Acquire Andy Wilkins, Designate Scott Baker For Assignment

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers spent Sunday afternoon playing a 13-inning affair with the Arizona Diamondbacks that featured little offense until Yasmani Grandal’s walk-off home run.

Prior to the game, manager Don Mattingly was asked about the starting rotation for the upcoming series with the Milwaukee Brewers and said the Dodgers would trot out the starters on their scheduled days.



That meant Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Carlos Frias and Scott Baker were the probables to take the ball in the four-game series. That’s now changed as the Dodgers announced Sunday evening they acquired Andy Wilkins from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.

The corresponding move to add Wilkins to the 40-man roster was designating Baker for assignment. Baker threw a combined 11 innings over his two starts with the Dodgers and gave up two home runs in each outing; the Dodgers split the pair of games in which he started.

Baker went 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA and 16 strikeouts over three starts (17 innings) for Triple-A Oklahoma City before being called up for a spot start.

Wilkins hit .293/.338/.538 with 30 home runs and 85 RBIs for the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. He led the league in home runs, was tied for first in RBIs and named a Triple-A International League postseason All-Star.

Wilkins made his Major-League debut with the White Sox last season, hitting .140/.178/.186 (6-for-43) with two doubles, two RBIs and 22 strikeouts. The Blue Jays claimed him off waivers in late March and optioned him to Triple-A.

In 21 games with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, Wilkins batted .264/.353/.319 with four doubles and nine RBIs. Wilkins figure to serve as more organizational depth as opposed to heavily factoring in at the big league level.

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7 Comments

  1. Mattingly says Baker is starting during the Brewer series but Baker is optioned for assignment. And they pick up Wilkins, I looked him up he is a 1st base 3rd baseman. 26 years old. Does that move make sense to anybody? I think that these new Front Office guys do not have anything to do so they play the waiver wire like addicts. Baker has had a decent pro career before his injury. He is coming back and pitched a really good game and then not so good second. As we seem to be short of pitchers it is interesting they dropped him for a journeyman infielder?

    1. I think it could mean a lot of things.

      For one, we only have one 3rd baseman listed in AAA, so he could be a backup, or perhaps filling in before Hector Olivera finally comes.

      Secondly, perhaps they couldn’t find another SP on the market they liked. At least for the moment. Hopefully this means Zach Lee comes up and can finally start his major league career. Dying to see this kid’s skills in the bigs now that he seems ready.

      1. Alex I agree with you about Lee with his new mechanics would love to see him pitch in the Bigs. It looks like Bolsinger as they scratched him from Sundays OKie game and Lee took his place. It seems they have a rather crowded 3rd as Guererro, Turner and of course Uribe can all play it. Plus they have Olivera out there somewhere. I have not looked to see who is playing 3rd at Ok. So I am sure you are right.

        1. Truth be told, I haven’t followed AAA too closely, lol, so these would be my best guesses. I think 1B Dickson is hurt, too, and hasn’t hit well to start off the season.

          1. Me either… I did take a look today and Britton is the 3rd baseman and leading the team in hitting. No one on the Team is really hitting that well. Especially Seager, Jansen and Sweeney but give them some time I am sure they will turn it around. Grandal has hit the ball the last couple of days which is great news. He let the bouncing pitch from Howell get away from him though. His mechanics behind the plate are criminal . Yes he can frame pitches but he routinely does not keep bounced pitches in front of him with men on. A huge major sin to hell with framing pitches stop the ball….

          2. Seager has not been there long enough to adjust to AAA pitching…..give the kid 100 AB’s at this level and you will have a much better picture of his ability’s ….on another note….Fox reports the Dodgers seem to be looking to trade a 3rd baseman…….

          3. Ahh that would explain the AAA pick up perhaps. I agree with you Seager just got to AAA. Once he acclimates he will be fine. I read that is a tough League. I wonder who they will trade? Guererro?

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