The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired third baseman David Freese from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor-league infielder Jesus Manuel Valdez.
Freese was in the midst of a solid campaign at the dish in his third season with the Pirates, batting .283/.337/.447 with nine home runs in 93 games.
He'll likely serve as Justin Turner's backup at third base while also spending time at first base.
The Dodgers have a $6-million team option for next season, so it's possible he will stick with them beyond 2018.
Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said the deal was, at least in part, made to give Freese another shot at playoff glory.
"We made the difficult decision to trade David to give him an opportunity to pursue a World Series Championship this season," Huntington told Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "We truly appreciate all that David has contributed to the Pirates these three seasons and wish him well."
Freese is no stranger to postseason heroics, which could be an added bonus for a Dodgers team fighting for a playoff spot. He earned World Series MVP honors for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 when he hit .348. This included a series-saving, walk-off home run to force a seventh game against the Texas Rangers two innings after tying it up on a two-run, two-out triple.
Going the other way, Valdez, 20, has hit .230/.343/.412 with six home runs over 60 games in the Dominican Summer League this season.
