The Los Angeles Dodgers traded newly acquired outfielder Mike Morse to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Jose Tabata.
Morse was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 2000 MLB Draft and made his debut in 2005 with the Seattle Mariners. He is in his 11th season and the Dodgers will be his 6th team. Since 2012, he has played for the Washington Nationals, Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, and the Marlins. He did not even get a chance to play for the Dodgers.
Tabata was signed by the New York Yankees in 2004. He made his debut with the Pirates in 2010 and is in his 6th season, all with the Pirates. He is a career .275 hitter. It is expected that the Dodgers will send him to AAA Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers do not need an outfielder at this time, but Morse was included in the trade for Mat Latos. By trading the 33-year-old outfielder to the Pirates, they obtained a young outfielder that can gain more experience at the AAA level. At this point, they are happy with their outfield as they gear up for the playoff race. They are currently tied for first in the National League West and the second Wild Card spot.
Morse will be a backup outfielder and first baseman for the Pirates, giving them a little more depth as they head into the playoff race. The Pirates had already traded for third baseman Aramis Ramirez and relievers Joakim Soria and Joe Blanton. They currently hold the first Wild Card spot.
Morse and Tabata are both signed through next season.
All MLB trades are pending medical reviews.
Statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com.
