The Los Angeles Dodgers stepped up their position as a player on July 21 with a swap for the New York Mets’ Billy McKinney in exchange for minor league outfielder Carlos Rincon.
McKinney started the year with the Milwaukee Brewers before being sold to the Mets in late May. Between the two teams, he beat .213 / .282 / .415 with eight home runs.
McKinney made his Dodgers debut on July 22nd against the San Francisco Giants, going on a 3-1 double. He went on to appear in 21 of the club’s next 23 games, making 15 starts in right field.
Although Dodgers manager Dave Roberts only met .204 / .290 / .383, he believed McKinney provided the club with high quality clubs.
“The value is that it’s a good at-bat. In the eight-hole he’s not there to take the offensive, ”Roberts said of McKinney at the time. “He’s there to take good hits, see pitches and turn the line-up, which he did.”
McKinney continued to get regular time until September 10, when he was placed on the 10-day injured list with an impingement of his left hip.
The 27-year-old did not appear in any other regular season game, but was on the Dodgers postseason roster for both the Wild Card Game and the National League Division Series. He only logged one at-bat over the combined three games against the St. Louis Cardinals and Giants.
In 37 games with the Dodgers during the regular season, McKinney beat .146 / .276 / .232 with two doubles, one threesome, a home run and seven RBI over 98 record appearances.
McKinney’s highlight 2021
McKinney’s best performance of the 2021 season was on 9.
Outlook for 2022
On November 20, the Dodgers appointed McKinney and Zach Reks to make room for Jacob Amaya, Michael Grove, Eddys Leonard, James Outman and Jorbit Vivas in their 40-man roster.
LA did this to protect itself from the possibility of the aforementioned minor leaguers being selected in the 2021 draft Rule 5, which could be held once a new collective agreement is in place.
Three days later, McKinney and Reks were sold to the Texas Rangers for cash. McKinney has not been advertised since then and can now sign with any team.
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