The Arizona Diamondbacks claimed Brett de Geus off waivers from the Texas Rangers, preventing the right-hander from potentially returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers. de Geus was selected by the Rangers with the second overall pick in Major League portion of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft last December.
de Geus was selected by the Dodgers in the 33rd of the 2017 MLB Draft. He made the Rangers’ Opening Day roster but struggled over 19 appearances. He pitched to an 8.44 ERA, 4.80 FIP and 1.65 WHIP prior to being designated for assignment.
Had de Geus cleared waivers, the Rangers would have been required to offer him back to the Dodgers for $50,000 which is half of what Texas paid in order to make the pick in the Rule 5 Draft.
That responsibility now falls to the Diamondbacks. If de Geus is not kept on their active roster (excluding the injured list), he would need to be offered to the Dodgers. Should that end up taking place, L.A. would not need to add the reliever to their 40-man roster.
Given the Diamondbacks’ struggles and injuries, de Geus figures to remain with them for the rest of the season.
In addition to de Geus, the Dodgers also saw Jordan Sheffield taken by the Colorado Rockies in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. Sheffield has been with the Rockies since Opening Day but this week was transferred to the 60-day injured list due to a right lat strain.
During the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, the Dodgers lost Shea Spitzbarth to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tyler Gilbert to the Diamondbacks, Errol Robinson to the Cincinnati Reds, Chris Roller to the Cleveland Indians, Drew Jackson to the New York Mets and Marcus Chiu to the Miami Marlins.
Dodgers drafted from Diamondbacks, Rays
The Dodgers themselves were active during the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft, adding Ryan January from the Diamondbacks and Roimer Bolivar from the Tampa Bay Rays.
January was an eighth-round pick by the Diamondbacks in 2016 out of San Jacinto College in Texas. Bolivar originally signed with the Rays out of Venezuela.
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