Dodgers Awarded Claim On Beckett – Bigger Deal Brewing?

On Thursday, Baseball News Source speculated about a potential deal between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers involving the latter acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett.

This afternoon, it was announced that the Dodgers have been awarded claims on both players after they were placed on revocable waivers by the Red Sox.

Baseball News Source detailed the possibilities about what Boston might do with Gonzalez in a story posted earlier this afternoon. Now that media reports indicate the Dodgers were awarded the claim on Beckett as well, that sets the stage for a potential blockbuster trade between the teams.

Boston does not have to part ways with Gonzalez or Beckett. Or the club could choose to let one go and keep the other. Since Beckett has around $4 million remaining on his 2012 salary, and he is owed $15.75 a year over the next two seasons, the Red Sox could let the Dodgers take on the 32-year-old right-hander and his remaining salary.

That would free the club of having to eat a bulk of his salary, a scenario that was considered likely this off-season.

Beckett has been a lightning rod for controversy since his struggles last September significantly contributed to Boston’s monumental collapse. He is in the midst of the worst season in his 12-year Major League career with a 5-11 record, a 5.23 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and a .266 batting average against.

Over his last 10 starts, he is 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA, and he is 1-4 with a 7.11 ERA since the All-Star break. In August, Beckett has a 0-2 record and a 9.92 ERA in three starts, including an opponent’s batting average of .304. This follows a 1-2 record and a 6.08 ERA in July when opposing hitters had a .311 average against him.

The Dodgers might be interested in Beckett because their rotation features frontline starter Clayton Kershaw, but the remaining four arms (Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang and Joe Blanton) do not exactly inspire confidence in big games.

Beckett has a track record of delivering in the postseason. Also,  before last September, he was an American League Cy Young Award contender, finishing with a 13-7 record, a 2.89 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, a .211 batting average against and allowing just 146 hits in 193 innings.

Perhaps a change of scenery wold benefit Beckett, the Dodgers might surmise.

While there is no certainty that the Red Sox will trade Gonzalez, it is highly probable they will either move forward with dealing Beckett to the Dodgers, or just let Los Angeles absorb his remaining salary and consider it addition by subtraction.