Dodgers Trade Luis Valdez To Rangers For Ricky Vanasco

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded Luis Valdez to the Texas Rangers in exchange for fellow Minor League pitcher Ricky Vanasco. Zack Burdi was designated for assignment in order to make room for Vanasco on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.

The right-handed relief pitcher was placed on the seven-day injured list in early April and didn’t return until late May. He appeared in just two games for Double-A Frisco, allowing a combined six runs over 2.1 innings.

Last season with High-A Hickory and the RoughRiders, Vanasco went 3-5 with a 4.68 ERA and 1.53 over 23 starts. He amassed 118 strikeouts against 52 walks across 92.1 innings pitched in those outings.

The Rangers selected Vanasco out of Williston High School in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Overall in his Minor League career, Vanasco is 9-10 with 3.84 ERA.

The 24-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rangers on May 29.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers parted with a 19-year-old in Valdez, who was with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga this season. Valdez went 0-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in his second career stint with the Quakes.

Last year Valdez pitched for the Dominican Summer League Dodgers and their Arizona Complex League team prior to joining the Quakes for two starts. Valdez went 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 13 games (10 starts) last year.

The left-hander made his professional debut with the DSL Dodgers in 2021. The Dodgers signed Valdez out of Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, as a Minor League free agent on November 4, 2019.

In his three Minor League seasons with the Dodgers, Valdez went a combined 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 24 games (21 starts).

Dodgers DFA Burdi

Burdi is passing through waivers one week after the Dodgers claimed him from the Tampa Bay Rays. Burdi threw a scoreless inning in his lone appearance for Triple-A Oklahoma City.