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LOS ANGELES -- We knew the Dodgers would be active during this trading season, and their first move is a big splash with ... Darwin Barney? The Dodgers have acquired the all-glove, no-hit infielder from the Cubs for a player to be named later, or cash considerations, to Chicago.
Barney is making $2.3 million this season, so if the Dodgers add him by Tuesday with 62 days remaining in the regular season he would have roughly $779,235 left this season. The Cubs are including cash in the deal, but it's not known how much.
The trade was first reported by Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
Barney was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Tuesday. The 28-year-old was hitting .230/.265/.328 in 72 games with the Cubs this season, and is a .244/.290/.335 career hitter.
The right-hander is a career .267/.319/.381 hitter against left-handed pitchers, including .293/.359/.379 in 2014.
But Barney makes his living on defense, and since the beginning of 2012 has been 33 runs above average on defense per Ultimate Zone Rating, tops in baseball at the position during that span. Through Total Zone Rating during that time Barney was rated as 29 runs above average at second base, and by Baseball Info Solutions' Defensive Runs Saved Barney is 46 runs above average since 2012.
The 2012 National League Gold Glove winner at second base was also a minor league shortstop, and would presumably fill a utility role with the Dodgers, essentially replacing Miguel Rojas, steady with the glove at shortstop but only hitting .207/.270/.268.
Barney also has all three option years remaining, and is a few days shy of four full years of major league service time, so he could stick around beyond 2014 with two more years of arbitration eligibility if the Dodgers so choose.
The Dodgers currently have 39 players on the 40-man roster, so they can add Barney without a corresponding move.
As for the player to be named later, Class-A Great Lakes pitcher Jonathan Martinez was scratched from his start on Monday in the middle of the first inning, before he took the mound. Martinez, 20, is 7-5 with a 3.47 ERA in 19 starts for the Loons this season, with 91 strikeouts and 19 walks in 106⅓ innings. Nothing has yet been announced in that regard.