Within the matter of hours, the Los Angeles Dodgers went from fielding Dee Gordon at second base with a hole at short to finding a double play combo of Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick.
Fresh off multiple moves earlier in the day, the Dodgers acquired second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for one of the players (Andrew Heaney) they received from the Miami Marlins in the Dee Gordon trade.
Breaking down this specific deal, the Angels get Miami’s top prospect (via the Dodgers) in exchange for a former All-Star in Kendrick who hit .293 with 45 extra-base hits this past season. Known as an excellent offensive bat, Kendrick should hit near the top of the Dodgers lineup.
In Heaney, the Angels find that young arm they have been searching for since the end of the playoffs. As we mentioned in another piece focusing on his deal to the Dodgers, Baseball America had Heaney as the Marlins top prospect prior to the start of the 2014 campaign.
The left-handed starter made a brief appearance in the Majors, posting an ERA over five in seven games (five starts). He figures to compete for a rotation spot in 2015. If not, the Angels could give him more seasoning in the minors, especially considering he’s played less than two years of professional baseball since being selected ninth overall back in the 2012 draft.
Photo: ESPN.com