The Dodgers gained a first baseman and lost their starting pitcher for Thursday’s game in Milwaukee.
After beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 in the 13 innings Sunday, the Dodgers designated Scott Baker for assignment and acquired 26-year-old first baseman Andy Wilkins from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations.
From the club’s press release:
Wilkins, 26, was hitting .264 with four doubles and nine RBI in 21 games for the Blue Jays’ Triple-A Buffalo affiliate and has a .276 batting average with 93 home runs and 371 RBI in 576 career games in six minor league seasons in the White Sox and Toronto organizations. Last year, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native appeared in 14 games with the White Sox in his only big league action and was also selected as a Triple-A International League post-season All-Star after leading the league with 30 home runs and 85 RBI (T-1st), while batting .293 with Charlotte. During the course of his minor league career, Wilkins has primarily appeared at first base (388 games), while also seeing action at third base (50 games). Wilkins was originally selected by the White Sox in the fifth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arkansas.
Baker, 33, went 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two starts with the Dodgers. He was originally signed by the club as a minor league free agent on April 5 and made three starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City before having his contract selected on April 26.
The Dodgers could turn to right-hander Mike Bolsinger to take Baker’s next start; Bolsinger had been scheduled to start Sunday for Oklahoma City but was scratched in favor of Zach Lee.
Bolsinger pitched into the sixth inning of his only start for the Dodgers this season, on April 23, and didn’t allow a run until his final pitch.