LOS ANGELES – A proposed multi-player trade centered around veteran infielders Alberto Callaspo of the Braves and Juan Uribe of the Dodgers fell through Tuesday morning and was not expected to be revived.
The deal died when Callaspo exercised his right to reject the trade, a person with the proposal said, confirming a FoxSports.com report. Callaspo, as a free agent who signed last winter, can’t be traded without written consent until after June 15.
The deal also likely would’ve included a minor leaguer from the Dodgers and as many as three minor league or major league pitchers coming from the Braves, although a team official emphasized the Braves would not have traded any impact pitching or prospects, and don’t intend to trade those commodities in any deal.
Callaspo was scratched from Monday night’s series opener against the Dodgers after Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez got a call after batting practice from a team official who said a Callaspo trade was being discussed. The Braves didn’t want to risk Callaspo getting hurt in the game.
Callaspo was told why he was scratched, that he might be traded, and said after Monday’s game, “It’s baseball. I take whatever they do.”
Trade discussions continued briefly Tuesday before it became apparent the deal wasn’t going to be consummated.
The Braves aren’t expected to revive discussions to acquire Uribe, 36, a backup second baseman/third baseman and pinch-hitter who is batting .247 with a .287 OBP, one homer and a .596 OPS in 87 plate appearances. He’s making $6.5 million and will be a free agent after the season.
A .257 career hitter with 179 home runs in 15 seasons, Uribe hit a career-best .311 with nine homers and a .777 OPS last season in 404 plate appearances for the Dodgers, and in 2013 he famously beat the Braves in the postseason with his two-run homer off David Carpenter in the eighth inning of a division series-clinching Game 4 win.
If the Braves can’t trade him, Callaspo could be designated for assignment as soon as this week with the expected return of third baseman Chris Johnson from the 15-day disabled list. Johnson could return as soon as Wednesday, although the plan was for the Braves to have him meet them in San Francisco for Thursday’s series opener against the Giants.
Callaspo, 32, has hit just .206 with three extra-base hits (one homer), a .293 OBP and .545 OPS in 123 plate appearances over 37 games. He hasn’t been the player the Braves anticipated or hoped he’d be when they they signed him in December to a one-year, $3 million contract.
After going 8-for-17 with a double and two RBIs in his first seven games for the Braves, Callaspo was just 14-for-90 (.156) with two extra-base hits, six RBIs and a .450 OPS in his past 30 games. That included 3-for-28 (.107) in his past eight games.
As a veteran with five or more years of major league service, Callaspo has the right to reject any minor league assignment if the Braves were to DFA him, put him through waivers and try to outright him to a minor league affiliate. However, that restriction almost certainly wouldn’t come into play, as the Braves would simply release him rather than try to send him to a minor league team.
Callaspo is guaranteed his entire $3 million salary this season whether he plays or is DFA’d. One reason for rejecting the proposed trade to the Dodgers: He or his agent probably knew there was a good chance the Dodgers would’ve released him after acquiring him, since they were interested in the deal primarily to get rid of Uribe and open his roster spot.
Rather than wait for that process to be completed, he might’ve preferred to stay with the Braves and at least be at his current home in Atlanta while the waiver process could finalized.
Callaspo has played in 28 games at third base and four at second base, and the Braves don’t need him now that promising first-year Brave Jace Peterson is entrenched at second base and Johnson is coming off the DL. Callaspo could continue to serve as a backup infielder, and versatile infielder/outfielder Kelly Johnson (oblique) isn’t expected to be on the DL for an extended period.
