Aaron Laffey signed to minor league deal by Dodgers

The Dodgers on Tuesday added to their pitching depth, having been ravaged by injuries this season. Left-handed pitcher Aaron Laffey signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers. Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance at MLB.com and Charlie Wilmoth and Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors have more details, but the Laffey signing more than anything is a reminder that there's more to the organization than the major league team.

Laffey, 28, began the season with the Mets, and allowed eight runs in 10 innings in four games, including two starts. He was listed by the Mets as a scheduled starter for their series finale against the Dodgers on Apr. 25, but that changed when New York designated Laffey for assignment on Apr. 21. That prompted this correcting tweet from me:

A reminder: scheduled starting pitchers is no Laffey matter

— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) April 21, 2013

Laffey was claimed by the Blue Jays, because gaming the waiver system is what Toronto does, and even started a game for them. Laffey walked five in 2⅔ innings on Apr. 26 for the Blue Jays, then was designated for assignment again one day later. This time he cleared waivers, but rather than accept an outright assignment to the minors he elected free agency on Monday.

But Laffey signing with the Dodgers doesn't necessarily mean he's ticketed for Los Angeles anytime soon. The fact is, pitchers who have started 12 of Triple-A Albuquerque's 25 games are up with the big club right now. As is usually the case, when the major league pitching staff or roster gets decimated by injuries, the same thing happens in the minors, as the farm is picked clean.

The Isotopes already added Anthony Ortega to their depleted rotation, and Matt Palmer is back from knee surgery. Adding Laffey gives Albuquerque something that reasonably resembles a starting rotation again.