Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 6:55pm

A'S ACQUIRE RELIEVER CHRIS HATCHER

The Oakland Athletics acquired pitcher Chris Hatcher from the Los Angeles Dodgers for international bonus pool money in 2017-18.

What does it give the Oakland Athletics
The Athletics are not in contention, so why would they be acquiring a 32-year-old reliever at this time? Well, Hatcher could be a cheap late-inning reliever for Oakland for the next two seasons beyond 2017, since he is under contract through 2019. He has struggled this season and recently returned from a shoulder issue.

What does it give the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers felt comfortable enough with their current bullpen setup, so they decided to move veteran Hatcher and his existing contract to Oakland for a little more cash available to sign international free agents. LA recently acquired left-handed relievers Tony Watson and Tony Cingrani for added bullpen depth.

Fantasy impact
Hatcher will probably be a more prominent reliever in Oakland than he would have been next season had he stayed in Los Angeles. He could be a decent source for holds in leagues that use that category, but Hatcher is unlikely to be a closer for the A's next year.