Jimmy Rollins Traded To Los Angeles Dodgers

The Philadelphia Phillies have traded veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A source told CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury on Dec. 10 about the deal. For their part, the Dodgers will send two minor league pitchers to the Phillies in exchange for Rollins, who still has a year left on his contract. He is due $11 million next season.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Gelb, the trade was still in the works as of Wednesday evening. Rollins previously had a no-trade clause because he’s been in the majors for at least 10 seasons and five with the same team. He approved the trade to Los Angeles.

Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown reported on Dec. 10 that the Dodgers were looking for somebody to replace Hanley Ramirez, who is now with the Boston Red Sox. On the other hand, Philadelphia wanted to do away with one of its big contracts in order to continue its rebuliding process. Cole Hamels still has $96 million remaining over the next four seasons while first baseman Ryan Howard will be paid $60 million over the course of the next two. Closer Jonathan Papelbon will earn $13 million next season.

ESPN Stats & Information also explains why Rollins was high on the Dodgers’ wish list:

“In Rollins, they are getting someone who might be a better all-around player (or at least more durable).

“Rollins was valued at 3.9 Wins Above Replacement last season. That ranked tied with Erick Aybar for third among shortstops last season, trailing only Jhonny Peralta (5.8) and Troy Tulowitzki (5.5). Ramirez ranked sixth with 3.5 WAR. the 3.9 Wins Above Replacement was Rollins’ highest total since 2008, when he had a 5.4 WAR and the Phillies won the World Series.

.@Phillies working on deal that would send Jimmy Rollins to Dodgers, reports @ToddZolecki. Clubs have not confirmed. pic.twitter.com/izYOF8r5Gb— MLB (@MLB) December 10, 2014

“Rollins has averaged 148 games played over the last 14 seasons. In the last four seasons, Ramirez played fewer than 100 games twice.

“Rollins was much better in 2014 than he was in 2013, and it was driven by a combination of his power returning (he went from six home runs to 17), and a significant improvement in how the defensive metrics evaluated his defense (he went from -15 Defensive Runs Saved to 4 Defensive Runs Saved).

“Those were Rollins’ best defensive numbers since he had five Defensive Runs Saved in 2007.

“Rollins was one of four players (and the only infielder) to have at least 15 home runs and 25 stolen bases last season, along with Charlie Blackmon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Gomez.”

This will be Rollins’ first change of scenery during his 15-year MLB career. Philadelphia drafted him in the second round of the 1996 first-player draft. He made his major league debut in 2000 and has been with the Phillies ever since. The pinnacle of his career was in 2007, the year when he was proclaimed National League Most Valuable Player. The Phillies also won their first division title since 1993 that season. He eventually won a World Series title in 2008, per Salisbury.

The following year, he recorded a memorable walk-off double off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton in Game 4 of the 2009 NLCS, per CSN Philly.

Salisbury points out Rollins, who was a three-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glove winner, “was the longest-tenured athlete in the city.” He also leads the Phillies in several statistical categories which include at-bats, hits, doubles and stolen bases.

In another team development, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki says the Phillies traded lefty pitcher Antonio Bastardo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league pitcher Joey Rodriguez.

The 36-year-old Rollins has amassed 2,306 hits, 216 home runs and 887 RBIs on a .267 batting average in 2,090 career regular-season games for the Philadelphia Phillies, per ESPN stats.

For more of the hottest sports news, log on to Sport Balla today.