58.32 Montreal Trades for DH

[Bob Breum]

Last season, Aarnoud Budding held down the DH role against right-handed pitching for the Blazers, posting a respectable .262/.333/550 line (126 OPS+). This season has seen the club struggle at the position. Budding was traded after hitting .234.290/.458 (108 OPS+) over 200+ plate appearances. Journeyman Gene Meade was given an opportunity to win the job, but he hit .118 in a two-week trial. RF James Belinda, a right-handed hitter heretofore used in a platoon role, was plugged in as a stopgap after Meade was waived, but Montreal continued to look for a long-term solution.
Leonardo Rodríguez
Today the Blazers announced a deal with the New Orleans Crawdads for Leonardo Rodríguez, a Rule 5 pick out of Vancouver. He was Brooklyn's fifth round pick in the 2052 amateur draft. Only 22, Rodriguez is inexperienced, having never played above AA before this season. With the Crawdads, he hit .213/.318/.436 for a 103 OPS+, but the Blazers hope that he'll grow into the role. He has a plus-plus batting eye and plus power to all fields. If you look at his splits with New Orleans, the left-handed Rodriguez hit .233/.341/.479 (120 OPS+) versus right-handed pitching, which will be his sole job in Montreal. He is an average defender at first base, but the plan is for him to assume the DH duties going forward.
Earl Wilkerson
New Orleans received 20-year old shortstop Earl Wilkerson as their return. Wilkerson was an 11th round pick in the 2055 amateur draft.