The Dodgers have acquired 36-year old righty reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pirates for 25-year old righty starter/reliever James McDonald and 21-year old lefty swinging outfielder Andrew Lambo. Dotel pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Pirates this year and he is 2-2 with 21 saves, a 4.28 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has now pitched in 603 games (0 starts) in his 12 years in the majors and he is 48-41 with 104 saves, a 3.75 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Dotel has whiffed 988 batters in 810 1/3 career innings in the majors and he has only allowed 652 hits showing just how nasty he has been in his career.

James McDonald pitched in 4 games (1 start) for the Dodgers this year and he was 0-1 with a 8.22 ERA and a 2.09 WHIP. He pitched in 53 games (5 starts) in parts of three years for the Dodgers and he was 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. Andrew Lambo came into this season as the Dodgers’ #7 rated prospect but his season got off to a late start due to a suspension for use of PEDs. He played in 47 games in AA-ball this year and he was 49 of 181 (.271 avg, .745 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 4 homers and 25 RBIs.

The Dodgers paid a fair price for Dotel who should make the bullpen even better than it it right now which is kinda hard to believe.

The Dodgers have acquired 34-year old lefty starting pitcher Ted Lilly and 30-year old righty swinging 2B Ryan Theriot from the Cubs for 24-year old lefty swinging 2B Blake DeWitt, 21-year old righty starting pitcher Brett Wallach and 22-year old righty reliever Kyle Smit. Ted Lilly should really give the Dodgers’ rotation a nice shot in the arm. He has started 18 games for the Cubs this year and he is 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Lilly has now pitched in 298 games (273 starts) in his 12 years in the majors and he is 106-92 with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Theriot will replace DeWitt as the Dodgers’ starting 2B. He played in 96 games for the Cubs this year and he is 110 of 388 (.284 avg, .647 OPS) with 45 runs scored, 1 homer, 21 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. Theriot has now played in 609 games in his major league career and he is 648 of 2,254 (.287 avg, .712 OPS) with 328 runs scored, 15 homers, 174 RBIs and 100 stolen bases. He should add speed to the Dodgers’ offense.

Blake DeWitt played in 82 games for the Dodgers this year and he was 69 of 256 (.270 avg, .723 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 1 homer, 30 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He played in 230 games in his three years with the Dodgers and he was 176 of 673 (.262 avg, .719 OPS) with 78 runs scored, 12 homers, 86 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Brett Wallach was the Dodgers’ #20 prospect coming into this season according to Baseball America. He has started 17 games in A-ball this year and he is 6-0 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Wallach has started 29 games in his two years with the Dodgers and he is 6-1 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Kyle Smit has pitched in 37 games (1 start) in A+AA-ball this year and he is 5-3 with 6 saves, a 2.35 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Smit pitched in 105 games (40 starts) in his five years in the minors with the Dodgers and he was 11-22 with 7 saves, a 5.14 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

This was a outstanding trade for the Dodgers who likely didn’t give up anyone they will miss.

The Dodgers have designated 32-year old lefty reliever Jack Taschner for assignment. Taschner pitched in 3 games for the Dodgers this year working only 1/3 of an inning allowing 1 hit, 3 walks and 1 wild pitch. He has pitched in 20 games (0 starts) overall this season for the Dodgers & Pirates and he is 1-0 with a 6.41 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. This is absolutely no loss for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have acquired 34-year old lefty swining LF/CF Scott Podsednik from the Dodgers for 25-year old righty swinging catcher Lucas May and 22-year old righty starting pitcher Eilsaul Pimentel. Podsednik played in 95 games for the Royals this season and he was 121 of 390 (.310 avg, .753 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 5 homers, 44 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He has now played in 977 games in his 10 years in the majors and he is 997 of 3,558 (.280 avg, .724 OPS) with 527 runs scored, 40 homers, 293 RBIs and 296 stolen bases. Podsednik will start in LF until Manny Ramirez comes back from the D.L. and then he will be the Dodgers’ #4 outfielder. Lucas May was the Dodgers’ #17 prospect heading into this season. He played in 80 games in AA+AAA-ball this year and he was 81 of 284 (.285 avg, .816 OPS) with 49 runs scored, 11 homers, 46 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Elisaul Pimentel was not one of the Dodgers’ top 30 prospects coming into this year. He pitched in 17 games (16 starts) in A-ball for the Dodgers this year and he was 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. This was a good trade for the Dodgers who needed help at the major league level right now in the outfield and Scott Podsednik should give them plenty.

The Dodgers have signed 38-year old right swinging infielder Juan Castro to a minor league deal. Castro played in 54 games earlier this season for the Phillies and he was 25 of 126 (.198 avg, .475 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 0 homers and 13 RBIs. He has now played in 1,095 games in his major league career and he is 597 of 2,610 (.229 avg, .595 OPS) with 251 runs scored, 36 homers, 233 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Despite those ugly numbers Castro has put up in his career he was solid with the Dodgers last year. Castro played in 57 games for the Dodgers in 2009 and he was 31 of 112 (.277 avg, .650 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 1 homer and 9 RBIs. This was a good depth signing for the Dodgers as they will stash him in AAA for now.