Remember the July 31 trade deadline when many (most) Dodger fans thought that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman (et al.) would go out and get that much-needed reliever – or starter – who would finally help the Dodgers get to – and through – a postseason?

Didn’t happen.

Instead, when the sun rose over the City of Angels on August 1, the ‘big’ acquisition was 30-year-old/seven-year MLB veteran utility infielder Jedd Gyorko from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for left-handed reliever Tony Cingrani and 19-year-old minor league left-hander Jeffry Abreu. That’s it. Period. End of story.

Oh sure, you can certainly argue that the acquisitions of 29-year-old/four-year MLB veteran right-hander Casey Sadler on July 3 in exchange for 23-year-old minor league right-handed reliever Nathan Witt, and the acquisition of 30-year-old/three-year MLB veteran left-handed side-armer Adam Kolarek in exchange for highly-touted 22-year-old minor league outfielder Niko Hulsizer from the Tampa Bay Rays (go figure) were significant trade deadline(-ish) acquisitions, but a big-name reliever – or starter – rumored to be coming to LA never happened.

The good news – great, actually – is that the Dodgers did not give away any of their top-ranked prospects; guys named Will Smith, Dustin May, Keibert Ruiz, Gavin Lux, or even 27-year-old/six-year MLB veteran outfielder Joc Pederson, who many thought absolutely would be traded.

What made the Gyorko acquisition somewhat unusual is that the Morgantown, WV native and 2010 second-round draft pick by the San Diego Padres out of West Virginia University was on the 60-day injured list for a lower back strain at the time. Prior to that, he appeared in only 38 games for the Cardinals, with a less-than-stellar slash-line of .196/.274/.304/.578, two home runs, and only seven RBI. In fact, Gyorko has hit above .250 only twice in his seven big league seasons (.272 in 2017 and .262 in 2018). He did, however, slug 30 home runs for the Cardinals in 2016 (and 23 in 2015 with San Diego), but has never driven in more than 67 runs in any one season.

Upon his acquisition by the Dodgers, Gyorko was immediately assigned to Double-A Tulsa and subsequently to Triple-A Oklahoma City to continue his rehabilitation for his sore back. In the combined nine games in which he appeared (two at Tulse and seven at OKC), Gyorko went a combined 7-for-29 (.241) with one double, one home run, and seven RBI. He walked four times while striking out five.

I say ‘went’ because Gyorko was activated from the IL on Sunday morning and called up to the Dodgers, and will be the Dodgers starting first baseman in the series finale against the NL East first-place Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park.

Also recalled from Triple-A OKC was right-hander Tony Gonsolin (1-1/3.21), who gets the start for the Dodgers on Sunday morning. The corresponding roster moves sent 25-year-old hard slugging first baseman Edwin Rios (.286/.419/.571/.990 with two home runs in his 43 plate appearances) and right-handed reliever Josh Sborz (0-0/18.00) back to OKC … for now.

To be brutally honest and baring a comeback of biblical proportions, it is difficult – perhaps even impossible – to see the addition (or even the acquisition) of Gyorko as an improvement over Rios.

…among others.

Play Ball!

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