NL West: Dodgers make moves to help playoff push

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- With ace Clayton Kershaw's troublesome back making him somewhat of an unknown for the stretch run, the contending Los Angeles Dodgers boosted their depleted rotation Monday by getting left-hander Rich Hill and right fielder Josh Reddick from the Oakland Athletics for a trio of pitching prospects.

With Reddick acquired, the Dodgers plan to demote outfielder Yasiel Puig to the minor leagues on Tuesday, according to Puig's agent, Adam Katz. Katz said Puig did not travel with the Dodgers to Colorado on Monday after being told he'd either be traded or sent down.

The deal was announced two hours before the deadline for completing trades without waivers.

The A's received minor leaguers Jharel Cotton and Grant Holmes, along with Frankie Montas, who made seven appearances with the White Sox last year -- three pitchers that general manager David Forst expects to help his team for years to come.

Letting Reddick go wasn't an easy call.

"This was not a typical decision because of Josh," Forst said. "... Josh has been here for a long time and in a lot of ways has been the face of the franchise over the past number of years and has really connected with the fans, everybody who works here, the staff. I can't say enough about Josh's time in an Oakland A's uniform."

Forst said despite ongoing discussions since the end of last year the sides never could work out a new contract that satisfied both parties, disappointing for the A's and Reddick, Forst said, noting, "this was not your typical buy-or-sell decision."

Forst said Oakland was simultaneously considering trading Hill and extending his contract.

Hill, who signed a $6 million, one-year contract with Oakland during the offseason, is on the disabled list with a pesky blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand that hasn't healed. He had been scheduled to pitch Sunday in Cleveland before the DL stint.

Big-spending Los Angeles began the day with a 59-46 record, two games out of first place in the NL West behind San Francisco.

The 36-year-old Hill is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts and 76 innings. The 29-year-old Reddick is batting .296 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs. This was his fifth year with the A's after spending his first three big league seasons with Boston.

Both Hill and Reddick can become free agents after this season. Reddick is earning $6,575,000 this year.

The A's, at 47-58, are often sellers at the trade deadline. They made the deal with former Athletics executive and now-Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi.

Montas hasn't pitched in the majors this year. He was scheduled for a follow-up scan Monday on his ribs. He had a rib resection done then suffered a setback during a rehab assignment when he sustained a stress fracture to another rib.

That didn't deter the A's, who are confident he will be fully healthy to pitch next season.

"We felt like we got significant value and made a significant contribution to the future of the organization," Forst said. "At no point were we looking to move players for the sake of dollars, that was not ever a directive. And we also are not interested in moving players and throwing some sort of white flag for the rest of the season."