Worst Trade In Recent Memory: Los Angeles Dodgers

Sure, the Los Angeles Dodgers have still enjoyed phenomenal success since the trade, as have the Houston Astros, but they'll always regret trading away one of the best pure hitters of this generation for a rental arm, more or less.

In 2016, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a trade with the Houston Astros, sending Yordan Alvarez, a highly-regarded young outfielder and designated hitter, to the Astros in exchange for relief pitcher Josh Fields.

At the time, Fields was seen as a solid but unspectacular pitcher, while Alvarez was a top prospect with immense potential.

Dodgers acquire Josh Fields from Astros https://t.co/DAb2mxb0DR pic.twitter.com/Lmr1513faW

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 1, 2016

In retrospect, the trade has been widely regarded as one of the worst in recent memory, with the Dodgers giving up a potential superstar for a reliever who provided little value in return.

Alvarez quickly emerged as a top prospect in the Astros organization and has since become one of the best young hitters in baseball, winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2019 after hitting .313 with 27 home runs and 78 RBIs in just 87 games.

If you ain’t know about this Yordon trade back in 2016 I just wanted to thank the @Dodgers on giving us one of the beet power hitters for the @astros #astros #dodgers #YordanAlvarez @MLB pic.twitter.com/T4vg9585Po

— Chris Jackson (@ChrisjacksonOG) August 1, 2022

Meanwhile, Fields pitched just 2.2 innings for the Dodgers in the 2016 postseason, and has since bounced around to several different teams with limited success. He was good for the Dodgers, recording a 2.61 ERA over 117.1 innings, but, as mentioned, he has not pitched in the majors since 2018.

The trade is now considered a major mistake by the Dodgers, as they gave up a player who has developed into one of the best hitters in the game for a pitcher who did not live up to expectations.

For his career, the 25-year-old Alvarez holds a fantastic .294/.383/.587 triple-slash line, with 104 home runs, 310 RBIs, and 261 runs scored across 388 games played.

YORDAN ALVAREZ OH MY! ASTROS LEAD pic.twitter.com/U3JJDtZS0M

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 23, 2023

Overall, the trade has been widely considered a significant win for the Astros and a major loss for the Dodgers, as they gave up a potential star player for a pitcher who did not provide significant value.

Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports