To the surprise of some, the Los Angeles Dodgers didn't add a starting pitcher ahead of July 31 trade deadline. However, after losing Josh Beckett to hip and groin injuires and Paul Maholm to a torn ACL, they've been forced into action in August.
On Thursday, general manager Ned Colletti acquired Roberto Hernandez (the former Fausto Carmona) from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for two players to be named later, On Saturday, he followed up by adding veteran right-hander Kevin Correia in a minor deal with the Minnesota Twins. The Twins will receive one player to be named later.
Correia, 33, made 23 starts for Minnesota and posted a 4.94 ERA a 61/32 K/BB ratio over 129 1/3 innings. In other words, he won't be a savior or even an upgrade over a guy like Dan Haren, but he has a pulse and he has experience and the Dodgers need options who meet those requirements.
Chances are he'll initially take over Maholm's role as a spot starter/long reliever, which instantly makes him a candidate to take Haren's rotation spot should his struggles continues.
As for the Twins side in this deal, they aren't likely to get a relevant prospect, but it still might be more interesting from their perspective as it allows them to recall left-hander Tommy Milone from Triple-A Rochester.
Milone brought some attention to himself last month when he requested a trade from the Oakland A's after he was demoted following the Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel deal. The A's honored that request by trading him to Minnesota in exchange for outfielder Sam Fuld on July 31, but a promotion to the big leagues didn't follow immediately.
Finally, opportunity knocks for Milone, and it will be interesting to see what he responds after spending the last month frustrated in the minors.
In his 16 starts for the A's this season, Milone posted a 3.55 ERA with a 61/26 K/BB ratio in 96 1/3 innings, so at least on paper he looks like an upgrade over Correia.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813