Dodgers acquire Kevin Correia from Twins for PTBNL

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers on Saturday night continued their activity during the August waiver trading period, though exactly what they accomplished isn't exactly clear. The Dodgers acquired pitcher Kevin Correia from the Twins for either a player to be named later or cash considerations, the team announced on Saturday night.

"Kevin gives us an additional option as a starter or long reliever," general manager Ned Colletti said in a statement. "He also supplies us with more veteran pitching depth for the stretch drive."

Colletti said earlier this week in Anaheim that the club in addition to acquiring starting pitcher Roberto Hernandez was on the lookout to replace swing man Paul Maholm as well.

Congratulations, I guess. If there is anyone I might describe as the right-handed Maholm, it's Correia, who was 5-13 with a 4.94 ERA in 23 starts for the Twins this season, with 61 strikeouts and 32 walks in 129⅓ innings.

Among 145 major league pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched this season, Correia's 10.7 percent strikeout rate ranks 144th. Maholm is 143rd at 10.9 percent. However, Correia's walk rate (5.5 percent) is better than Maholm's (9.0 percent), ranking 38th among said group.

In his last 11 starts, Correia had a 3.71 ERA in 63 innings, though with a similarly miniscule 24 strikeouts and 18 walks during that span.

Correia, who turns 34 on Aug. 24, was drafted by the Giants in the fourth round in 2002, when Colletti was a part of the San Francisco front office.  Correia spent the first six seasons of his 12-year career in San Francisco, and has also pitched for the Padres, Pirates and Twins. Correia made the All-Star team as a Pirate in 2011.

The acquisition of Correia is severe aversion to risk by the front office, needing insurance for another potential Dan Haren implosion and having zero confidence that Zach Lee, Chris Reed or Red Patterson would be able to fill in as needed.

But there is also risk in continuing to hold roster spots for mediocre pitchers, a classification that clearly fits Correia at this point.

The Dodgers will need to make a corresponding move to add Correia to both the active and 40-man roster, which likely means Carlos Frias or Pedro Baez get optioned and some fungible part of the 40-man roster (Colt Hynes?) gets designated for assignment.

Correia is making $5.5 million in the final season of a two-year deal, which means with 50 days left in the season the Dodgers are on the hook for roughly $1,502,732.