LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers today acquired infielder Logan Forsythe from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher José De León.
Forsythe, 30, has combined to slug 57 doubles, 37 homers and drive in 120 runs in 280 games with Tampa Bay over the past two seasons, including batting .264 with 52 RBI and setting career-best marks with 20 home runs, four triples and 76 runs scored as the Rays' primary leadoff hitter in 127 games last year. In 2015, batting in the middle of the Rays' lineup, Forsythe led Tampa Bay qualifiers in batting average (.281), on-base percentage (.359) and slugging percentage (.444), while posting a .299/.373/.599 slashline against left-handers. His slugging percentage against lefties (.599) ranked third in the American League in 2015, behind only Nelson Cruz (.673) and Josh Donaldson (.632).
Forsythe has a .255 career batting average with 55 homers and 203 RBI in 618 games in six big-league seasons with the Padres (2011-13) and Rays (2014-16) after being selected by San Diego in the first round (46^th overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arkansas. The Tennessee native has primarily appeared at second base during the course of his career (.980 fielding percentage in 456 games), but has also seen work at third base (56 games), first base (27 games), shortstop (19 games) and outfield (16 games).
De León, who was rated as the Dodgers' No. 3 prospect by Baseball America, went 2-0 with a 6.35 ERA in four starts in his first big-league action in 2016. The 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico went 7-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City last year and has posted a 23-13 career record with a 3.35 ERA in 67 games (64 starts) in four minor league seasons in the Los Angeles organization after being selected in the 24^th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Southern University.