As Dodger fans slowly (and painfully) begin to come to grips with the fact that there will be no more insane bat flips, bat licks, or dugout kisses by eccentric Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig; no more late-inning heroics by veteran Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp; no more epic dugout rally caps by Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood; and no more incredibly clutch off-the-bench walk-off hits by (should-have-been) Dodgers back-up catcher Kyle Farmer, they will undoubtedly slowly begin to take a closer look at the other guys involved in Friday’s blockbuster trade with the Cincinnati Reds – 32-year-old right-hander Homer Bailey (whom the Dodgers immediately released without even asking him for his hat size); just-turned 21-year old (on December 21) right-hander Josiah Gray; and 20-year-old middle infielder Jeter Downs.

The Dodgers obviously saw no use for Bailey, who is the last active MLB pitcher to have thrown two no-hitters – the first on September 23, 2012 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and the second on July 2, 2013 against the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, and under the category of ‘What have you done for me lately,’ the one-time Reds ace posted an ugly 1-14 record and even uglier 6.09 ERA in his 20 starts for Cincinnati in 2018.

That being said, the Dodgers are still on the hook for the guaranteed $23 million that the 32-year-old La Grange, Texas native is owed for the 2019 season – second highest on the team behind only the $23.333 million owed to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw for each of the next three seasons … at least until the (much) rumored signing of Washington Nationals All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper, should that actually come to fruition.

Which brings us to the real reason for Friday’s trade – aside from the blatantly obvious salary dump by the Dodgers to get under the competitive balance salary cap for 2019 – Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs.

Gray was selected by the Reds in the second round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York. In his 12 outings (all starts) for Cincinnati’s Appalachian Rookie League Greenville Reds, the 6′-1″ / 190-pound right-hander and New Rochelle, New York native posted a 2-2 record and impressive 2.58 ERA over his combined 52.1 innings of work, during which he struck out 59 and walked 17, for a K/BB ratio of 3.47.

As for Downs, he was selected by the Reds in the first round (32nd overall pick) of the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, Florida. In 2017 (as an 18 year old), Downs posted a slash-line of .267 / .370 / .424 for an OPS of .795, with six home runs, 29 RBI and eight stolen bases in the 50 games in which he played for the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer Rookie League (a clue).

In 2018, Downs slashed .257 / .351 / .402 / .753, with 18 home runs, 47 RBI, and (wait for it…) 37 stolen bases in the 120 games in which he played for the Dayton Dragons of the Low Single-A Midwest League (another clue). In other words, the 20-year-old San Andres, Columbia native is the real prize in the deal – at least on the Dodgers side of the trade – and had clearly been on their radar during his first two seasons of professional ball.

As it stands right now and depending on how things go during spring training, Gray figures to begin the 2019 season with either the Dodgers Pioneer Rookie League Ogden Raptors or possibly the Low Single-A Great Lakes Loons, and Downs with the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes under new manager Mark Kertenian.

Play Ball!