The Dodgers made another trade before today’s deadline, acquiring reliever Octavio Dotel from the Pittsburgh Pirates for James McDonald and Andrew Lambo, the team announced.
The 36-year old Dotel was 2-2 with 21 saves and a 4.28 this year for the Pirates, and has a strikeout rate of 10.8 per nine innings, the ninth time in nine full seasons he has topped double figures in strikeouts per nine innings.
Per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Dotel has a $3.25 million salary this season, plus a 2011 option for $4.5 millon, with a $250,000 buyout. With the trade, the 2011 option became a mutual option.
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reported that the Pirates send cash as part of the deal:
The Dodgers received $500,000 from the Pirates to help cover part of Dotel’s remaining salary
With 64 days remaining this season after today, Dotel is due approximately $1,136,612 the rest of the year, so the Dodgers are on the hook for $636,612.
McDonald, the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year in both 2007 and 2008, excelled in the bullpen last season, with a 2.72 ERA in 41 games in relief. He began this season in Triple A, and was recalled earlier this month to make a spot start. He remained in the bullpen ever since.
Lambo was the seventh rated Dodger prospect by Baseball America before this season, but was suspended 50 games earlier this season for testing positive for a drug of abuse, presumed to be marijuana. The 21-year old outfielder was hitting .271/.325/.420 in 47 games with Double A Chattanooga.