Eight months after they traded him to the Athletics, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed pitcher Carlos Duran in free agency.
Duran, a 6-foot-7 right-hander, went to Sacramento in a 1-for-1 swap for left fielder Esteury Ruiz on April 2.
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Now he returns to the organization that signed him as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. Duran, 24, pitched one-third of an inning with the A’s in his only big league appearance on May 22.
Duran was the Dodgers’ No. 16 prospect entering the 2022 season, and he made his Triple-A debut at Oklahoma City in 2024. He made one appearance for the Dodgers’ top farm team in 2025 before the trade, allowing three hits, one run, and four walks in 4.1 innings. He also struck out eight batters.
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The A’s promoted Duran to the big leagues for the first time on April 30, the first of his two big league stints in Sacramento. Duran spent most of his time with the A’s Triple-A affiliate. He had an an 8.00 ERA and 1.96 WHIP over 27 innings for the Las Vegas Aviators when he was designated for assignment on June 8.
Duran elected free agency after the season and ultimately chose to return to the organization that traded him just eight months earlier.
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Still just 24 years old, Duran has a chance to contribute to a Dodgers bullpen that struggled en route to a second consecutive World Series championship in 2025.
The Dodgers blew 27 saves last season. Only six teams blew more saves.
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Ruiz logged an AL-best 67 stolen bases in 2023, but was passed over on the Dodgers’ depth chart by minor league veteran Justin Dean by the end of the 2025 season. Ruiz played just 19 major league games after the trade and 104 at Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers promoted Dean to the big leagues in September for the first time, and carried him on their postseason roster as a late-game defensive replacement throughout their World Series run.
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