Tyler Glasnow, Manuel Margot, and Cash Being Traded to Dodgers

The Dodgers’ trend of getting players at a discount continued Thursday as they agreed to a deal with the Rays that will bring Tyler Glasnow, Manuel Margot, and $4 million to LA. Tampa will receive 26-year-old righty Ryan Pepiot and 25-year-old outfielder Jonny Deluca, who is not listed among the Dodgers’ top 30 prospects. Pepiot has a 2.76 ERA over 78.1 innings across 17 MLB appearances (10 starts), though his 4.76 FIP says there might be a little luck involved there.

The deal is contingent on LA-area native Glasnow inking an extension, which everyone expects to get done. Even if the new money doesn’t kick in until 2025 and thus doesn’t impact Glasnow’s $25 million AAV, the Rays are buying down a decent chunk of his salary. I just can’t get over how light this return is on paper and I have to wonder whether the Cubs were ever seriously involved.

Maybe it’s because Dodgers baseball boss Andrew Friedman came from Tampa a few years ago and his old org is doing him a solid. Not that the Dodgers need any help. There’s not much more of substance to say on this matter without getting irrationally irked by the idea that the Cubs don’t seem to want to make even low-risk moves that make a ton of sense with their roster.

I know a lot of folks out there will point to Glasnow’s lack of availability, then there’s the added risk associated with an extension, but the Cubs should not be balking at that sort of thing if they mean to compete. Oh well, we’ve still got a lot of offseason left to see what Jed Hoyer is able to do.

Update: So much for the idea that Glasnow’s extenstion could lower his AAV. As Jeff Passan reported, the new deal starts this season and adds $110 million over four years with none of the money deferred. That means the righty’s AAV increases to $27 million. The deal could jump to $145 million if the Dodgers exercise their $30 million option for 2028, but Glasnow has a $20 million player option if they don’t.

I’m honestly shocked by this news.