The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays made a rare September trade Tuesday, swapping right-handed minor league pitchers in a move that came after Major League Baseball’s trade deadline. The Dodgers acquired 20-year-old right-hander Sebastian Rodriguez from Toronto in exchange for 25-year-old right-hander Jose Rodriguez. The deal was announced Sept. 1, the first day of the final month of the regular season.
Teams cannot make trades involving players on their 40-man rosters after the Aug. 3 deadline, but players outside the 40-man roster remain eligible to be traded. Sebastian Rodriguez joined the Blue Jays as an international free agent from Venezuela in June. The 20-year-old went went 4-0 with a 9.00 ERA in nine innings in the Dominican Summer League.
He allowed six earned runs and seven runs overall, while striking out 11 and walking three. The right-hander was assigned to the Dodgers’ rookie-level Dominican Summer League affiliate after the trade. More news: Dodgers Make Surprising Promotion as Rosters Expand Around MLB Jose Rodriguez, meanwhile, had been in the Dodgers’ minor league system since 2021.
The 25-year-old right-hander from Oaxaca, Mexico, reached Triple-A Oklahoma City this year, where he was 4-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 21 appearances and struck out more than a batter an inning. The Dodgers invited Rodriguez to major league spring training in February. He made six Cactus League appearances, going 1-1 with a 7.20 ERA and one save.
In five innings, he allowed eight hits, four runs, two walks, and struck out seven batters. More news: Dodgers All-Star Nears Return, Begins Rehab Assignment Rodriguez was the Dodgers' No. 29 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, but unlikely to crack their major league bullpen in 2026. Now, he can offer insurance to a Blue Jays bullpen that has dealt with injuries all season.
"Though he's a lanky 6-foot-6, Rodriguez repeats his mechanics well enough to provide consistent strikes," MLB Pipeline wrote in its scouting report of Rodriguez. "He creates 7+ feet of extension with his delivery, which enables his pitches to get on hitters much more quickly than expected. He hasn't been able to add much strength since turning pro, and if he can, his stuff could kick up and enhance his chances of becoming a No. 4 starter." For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
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