Baseball

Dodgers make deals for Thome, Garland

L.A. gets slugger from White Sox, pitcher from D-backs in deadline trades

Hans Deryk / Reuters

Jim Thome will be leaving the White Sox to join the Dodgers in their push for the playoffs.

“Jon Garland is going to get the ball every five days and if we have six starters, so be it,” Torre said. “It has made us stronger. We have some threat off the bench now, and with Garland, we have someone who knows how to pitch.”

Garland made one start in the 2005 World Series for the White Sox en route to the championship. He pitched a complete game to earn the win in his one start in the ALCS.

“He’s somebody we had interest in this past winter and who we’ve watched for a while and have seen in our division. He’s pitched in the postseason, he’s been on a team that’s won the World Series,” Colletti said. “When you get to the month of August and you start looking for additional help and can add a veteran starter who can give you innings and is a winning-type player, you go for it.”

Garland is due $1,161,202 from his $6.25 million salary. His contract includes a $10 million mutual option. He gets a $2.5 million buyout if the team declines and $1 million if he declines. Because he was traded, the Dodgers cannot offer him salary arbitration if he is a Type A free agent.

Garland knew something was up when he began receiving text messages during the game. He went into the visitors’ clubhouse, showered, packed up and then made what he called a “definitely weird” walk to the Dodgers’ side.

“I didn’t want it so late,” he said, explaining his initial resistance to the trade. “This late in the season coming to a team that’s been going strong, they might feel they don’t need anybody. They’ve done all the work. I don’t want to feel like I’m sliding in easy. Hopefully they accept me well.”

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