Dodgers Trade Manuel Margot to Twins for SS Prospect Noah Miller

The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded outfielder Manuel Margot to the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers announced.

Los Angeles received shortstop prospect Noah Miller in return. Margot hit .264 with four home runs in 336 plate appearances as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023.

He was part of the package that Los Angeles received from the Rays in a Dec. 16 trade that was headlined by starter Tyler Glasnow joining the Dodgers.

In Monday's trade, Los Angeles sent shortstop prospect Rayne Doncon to Minnesota along with Margot. The move also cleared up some space in the outfield for Kiké Hernández to come back to the Dodgers, as he announced his return in a social media post on X.

Hernández appeared in 648 games for Los Angeles from 2015 through 2020 before briefly returning to the organization to suit up in 54 games during the end of the 2023 season due to a trade with the Boston Red Sox.

As for Margot, he'll be entering the final season of a two-year contract he initially signed with the Rays worth $19 million (via Spotrac). He's also owed a $2 million buyout on a $12 million team option for the 2025 season.

The Dodgers also sent $6 million to the Twins to help cover some of Margot's $10 million 2024 salary as part of the trade (per Fabian Ardaya and Dan Hayes of The Athletic).

The veteran should serve as an acceptable backup behind All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton in Minnesota, as Buxton has struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Margot has hit .264 since 2020 and has been proficient against left-handed pitchers in particular.

As for Miller, he was a first-round pick in the 2021 draft although he's struggled to find consistency at the plate in the minors. In 2023, he hit .223 with eight home runs and 60 RBIs in 120 games at High-A Cedar Rapids.