The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Jedd Gyorko from the St. Louis Cardinals and left-handed reliever Adam Kolarek from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.
Injuries influenced their decision to grab Gyorko, while Kolarek’s arrival addresses one of their only weaknesses — the bullpen leading up to closer Kenley Jansen.
Gyorko, 30, has not played since June 7 for a variety of reasons. He was initially placed on the 10-day injured list because of a lower back strain, but later developed a calf injury and then in late June underwent wrist surgery. On Tuesday, the club transferred him to the 60-day IL.
The Dodgers, who owe much of their MLB-best record to their depth and the ability of so many players to play multiple positions in the field, are dealing with injuries to several utility players.
Infielder/outfielder Enrique Hernandez is on the IL with a hand sprain, Chris Taylor is out with a broken forearm, and first baseman David Freese is also on the IL with a hamstring strain.
All three are right-handed hitters, as is Gyorko — who cannot come off the IL for another week. Gyorko is batting .196 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 62 games this season.
He is a career .246 hitter with 112 home runs and 351 RBIs in seven seasons, the first three of which were spent in San Diego.
The Cardinals also sent international cap space and cash considerations to the Dodgers in exchange for left-hander Tony Cingrani and right-hander Jeffry Abreu.
Cingrani, 29, had shoulder surgery on June 5 and will miss the rest of the 2019 season.
He was acquired at the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds on July 31, 2017 and went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 52 games for Los Angeles in 2017-18.
Abreu, 19, is 2-0 with a 4.66 ERA and 24 strikeouts in six games (two starts) for the Arizona League Dodgers.
The Rays received minor league outfielder Niko Hulsizer in the Kolarek trade.
Kolarek, 30, has appeared in 54 games for the Rays, recording a 5-4 record with one save, a 3.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings.
In parts of three seasons with Tampa Bay, he held left-handed hitters to a .209 average while compiling a 6-3 record with a 4.19 ERA and three saves.
Hulsizer, 22, has split the season between Class-A affiliates Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga, batting a combined .265 with 20 homers and 67 RBIs.