The Dodgers officially introduced Shohei Ohtani as a member of the franchise Thursday. But signing the largest free-agent contract in history was only the beginning of their offseason activity. Less than an hour after Ohtani left the stage, Los Angeles was linked to a trade for one of the best starting pitchers available.
The Dodgers will reportedly get pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot from the Rays in exchange for pitcher Ryan Pepiot and outfielder Jonny Deluca. The trade is said to be contingent on L.A.’s signing an extension with Glasnow, 30, who would otherwise reach free agency after 2024. It was first reported by ESPN.
The deal is straightforward—a pitcher and outfielder getting moved in both directions—but fulfills the needs of both teams. The Dodgers get established players to fill out a group with designs on a World Series. The Rays get young talent in their prearbitration years to help a low-cost roster punch above its weight. In other words, if you were looking to distill the organizational philosophy of each team into one trade, you have it here.
