11:32 am: The two teams announced the trade.
11:11 am: The Dodgers and the White Sox agree on a player to send a trade AJ Bullock To Chicago in exchange for the Savior Craig KimbrelMLB.com’s Mark Finsand reports (Twitter link).
It’s a rather stunning movie featuring two high-profile and highly paid veterans. Bullock is earning $10 million this season and is worth at least $5 million for a $10 million player option for the 2023 season. Meanwhile, Kimbrel is set to earn $16 million next season after ChiSox chose the club’s 2022 option despite performance Weak after the trade that sent him from the north side in chicago to the south side last summer.
ESPN’s Jeff Bassan tweeted that there was no change in funds in the deal, meaning the Dodgers are actually adding an additional $1 million in financial commitments (assuming Bullock rejects his player option at $5 million net and tests free agency next winter). Dodgers will also see their luxury ledger go up a bit as a result of the trade. Bullock’s contract was a four-year deal worth $55 million, but counted as five years and $60 million for luxury tax purposes, where the player’s option at the end of the contract was considered money secured. Thus, the contract was a huge success worth $12 million. As Matt Gelb of The Athletic recently mentioned, the new CBA states that the actual dollar remaining on a trading contract will be counted toward the luxury tax. As such, Kimbrel would now represent a $16 million luxury hit for the Dodgers (instead of the $14.5 million he had represented under the previous rules).
Regardless of the financial component of the huge barter, the trade fulfills the need of both groups. The Bullpen Dodgers lacked the option to close late in the game, and Kimbrel regained his credibility as a dynamic ninth-inning choice for the first four months of the 2021 season while matches were closed for the Cubs. Will join now Blake TraininAnd the Daniel Hudson And little flamethrower Prosdar Graterol In the back of the Los Angeles Bullpen.
Meanwhile, the White Sox have yet to address a glaring gap in the right field, all off the season. The closest the Sox got to cementing a correct field position was the Phillies’ final trade. Adam HasleyHowever, Sox announced Haseley had been selected for Triple-A just minutes before today’s trading announcement. Bullock will now move directly into the field mix, giving the Sox a high-quality option to pair with the midfielder Louis Robert Fielder left Eloy Jimenez. Sox went most of the 2021 season with the first baseman Andrew Fon And the javen leaves They disguise themselves as outside players, so bringing Bullock into the fold will give them a real player — and a solid defensive one at that.
More is coming.
