Dodgers acquire right-hander Bud Norris from Braves

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired right-handed pitcher Bud Norris from the Atlanta Braves, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported on Thursday.

Per the teams’ announcements, the Dodgers also received Double-A outfielder Dian Toscano and a player to be named later in the deal. In return, the Braves got two minor league pitchers: Double-A righty Caleb Dirks and High-A lefty Phil Pfeifer.

The addition of Norris makes a lot of sense for the Dodgers. Their starting pitching staff has taken a beating this season, with Clayton Kershaw becoming the most recent injury victim, being placed on the 15-day disabled list today due to a back issue.

The 31-year-old Norris signed with the Braves on a one-year, $2.5 million deal this offseason, providing them with some rotation depth. Now, as he’s shipped to Los Angeles, he will do the same, helping to stabilize a Dodgers’ rotation that is currently falling apart.

As the moment, along with Norris, the Dodgers’ rotation consists of Kenta Maeda, Scott Kazmir, Julio Urias and Brock Stewart. Kershaw, Brett Anderson, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-jin Ryu and Alex Wood are all starting pitchers on the disabled list.

Norris has been a decent member of the Braves’ staff thus far this season.

He’s 3-7 with a 4.22 ERA and a 60 to 28 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 70 ⅓ innings pitched this season. He’s made 22 appearances, 10 of which came as starts. Norris has a 3.84 FIP and a 4.08 xFIP this year. He has been worth 0.8 fWAR.

Norris’ last five starts have been excellent, however. The eight-year MLB vet has a 2.15 ERA and a 29 to 8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 29 ⅓ innings pitched, leading the Braves to four victories.

--Devan Fink

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