When the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2018, Kyle Farmer understandably was a bit of an afterthought.
Instead, headliners in the salary-motivated deal were Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Homer Bailey. Of course, the Dodgers would later use prospects Jeter Downs in a trade to acquire Mookie Betts and David Price from the Boston Red Sox, and Josiah Gray was packed to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner.
Meanwhile, Farmer has carved out an everyday role with the Reds. Once buried in the Dodgers organization behind other catchers, the 31-year-old has converted to shortstop.
“I know Kyle is a Major League player. We knew that. He’s great on the team, he’s a performer and he’s a baseball player. So nothing he’s done has surprised me,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during the weekend series at Great American Ball Park.
“I didn’t expect him to be an everyday shortstop, but he’s earned that and performed really well. Really happy for him.”
In his first season with the Reds in 2019, Farmer primarily played second base (41 games) but also spent time at catcher, first base, third base and shortstop. Last year his time was split more evenly between second base and shortstop, with first base, third base and left field sprinkled in.
But this season Farmer has filled a void for the Reds at shortstop and also contributed with the bat. Farmer went 3-for-11 with two doubles and two RBI in three games against the Dodgers this past weekend.
Farmer’s career with Dodgers
Farmer made his MLB debut in 2017 and though his tenure with the Dodgers didn’t amount to many games played, he delivered in key moments and made an impression on teammates, coaches and the organization as a whole.
Farmer’s first career hit was a walk-off two-run double in the 11th inning against the San Francisco Giants. He became the first Dodgers player since Darren Dreifort on May 27, 1994, for his first career hit be of the walk-off variety.
Farmer also was the first player in Dodgers franchise history with a walk-off RBI in his first career plate appearance.
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