LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers continued their bullpen makeover Tuesday in a trade of outcast relievers, acquiring Cubs former closer Carlos Marmol in exchange for Matt Guerrier. The Dodgers also acquired international signing bonus slot No. 92 valued at $209,700 and cash considerations from the Cubs as part of the deal.
The Dodgers will pay roughly $500,000 of the remaining $5 million on Marmol’s contract. Guerrier has about $1.8 million remaining on the final year of a three-year, $12 million contract. Both pitchers were designated for assignment by their clubs last week.
If Marmol, 30, can regain even some of his better form, he would probably be used in middle and set-up relief, with Kenley Jansen remaining the closer.
Marmol will be added to the 40-man roster, but there are indications he might first report to the club’s Camelback Ranch Glendale complex in Arizona before joining the Dodgers’ bullpen.
Marmol was designated for assignment last week after going 2-4 with a 5.86 ERA in 31 games with 32 strikeouts but also 21 walks and six home runs allowed.
Marmol began the season as the Cubs closer but lost the job after the first week to Kyuji Fujikawa. However, the Japanese pitcher had elbow problems and eventually required Tommy John surgery. In a strange twist, Kevin Gregg has replaced Marmol, who had replaced Gregg as closer in 2009. In a stranger twist, Gregg was released by the Dodgers at the end of Spring Training.
“He did provide value for us pitching in the middle of the game,” Cubs GM Jed Hoyer said last Tuesday. “He had struggles that frustrated people at the end of the game. The decision really came down to it had become a distraction,” Hoyer said. “It became hard to pitch as well as he could because every time he threw two balls, he’d get booed, and I don’t think that’s easy for anybody.”
Hoyer said every time Marmol pitched, it was a “sideshow.”
Marmol was an All-Star in 2008 and in 2010-11 compiled a combined 72 saves. He will be a free agent after this season.
The move is the latest of several in the Dodgers bullpen in the last week, including the promotions of youngsters Jose Dominguez and Chris Withrow, the demotion of Peter Moylan and Guerrier’s designation for assignment.
The Dodgers bullpen has been in disarray most of the season as Brandon League, signed to a $22.5 million contract in the winter to be the closer, lost his job to Jansen and Ronald Belisario has been inconsistent as a set-up man.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
