Major League Baseball

Dodgers open roster spots for Shohei Ohtani, Joe Kelly via Yankees trade

Published Dec. 11, 2023 12:46 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney from the New York Yankees on Monday for left-hander Victor González and infielder Jorbit Vivas, opening roster spots for Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly.

Los Angeles’ 40-man roster was full before the trade and the Dodgers needed to open two spots. Ohtani has a pending agreement on a record $700 million, 10-year contract and pitcher Kelly on an $8 million, one-year deal.

The 23-year-old Sweeney was selected by the Yankees with the 20th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft. He hit .252 with 13 homers, 49 RBIs and 20 stolen bases last season at Double-A Somerset.

Anthony Volpe took over the Yankees' shortstop job as a rookie last season.

González, 28, was 3-3 with a 4.01 ERA in 33 relief appearances and one start for the Dodgers this year, striking out 33 and walking 10 in 33 2/3 innings. He averaged 94.6 mph with his sinker and also throws sliders and changeups.

González missed the 2022 season after starting on the injured list. The Dodgers said on May 8 that he needed arthroscopic elbow surgery.

He is 9-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 80 starts and 13 relief appearances with the Dodgers from 2020-23.

Vivas, a 22-year-old second baseman and third baseman, hit .280 with 12 homers, 54 RBIs and 21 steals in 109 games at Double-A Tulsa this year and batted .226 with one homer, nine RBIs and four steals in 26 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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