In a matter of hours, the Los Angeles Dodgers changed the course of their season—and perhaps their future. On July 1st, the front office executed not one, but two major trades, dealing away ace Roger Clemens, All-Star catcher Mickey Tettleton, and veteran infielder Scott Fletcher in a pair of moves that confirmed what many suspected: the Dodgers are shifting into full reset mode.
The blockbuster came first. Clemens, still one of the premier arms in the league, was shipped to the Montreal Expos for a package centered on two draft picks—a 1996 first-rounder and a 1995 second-rounder—along with Kevin Stocker, Charles Nagy, and Jerry Browne. Montreal, perched atop the United League East, made their intentions clear: they’re going for it. Clemens joins a rotation that already features Martinez, Viola, and Nomo, giving the Expos an unmatched playoff rotation on paper.
The Dodgers didn’t wait long to follow that move with another. Later that same day, they struck a deal with the Seattle Pilots, sending Tettleton and Fletcher along with $532,000 in salary coverage. In return, Los Angeles received struggling veteran Terry Steinbach, a 1995 second-round pick from Seattle, and their own 1996 second-rounder back—previously dealt to the Pilots.
Tettleton, 34, was one of the Dodgers’ most productive bats, posting a .898 OPS with 18 home runs and an OBP north of .380. While his contact rate was low, his power and walk totals remained elite. Fletcher, 36, was a steady hand defensively with a .313 OBP and strong infield versatility. Together, the pair represented a key chunk of the Dodgers’ veteran leadership—and payroll.
Steinbach, while a respected defender, has been a liability at the plate in 1995, hitting just .170 with a .224 OBP and negative WAR. His inclusion was clearly transactional. The real return here is in the picks and salary clearance.
Taken together, these two deals carve out over $1.3 million in cap space and bring in four draft picks, two controllable infielders, and a back-end starter with bounce-back potential. More importantly, it gives L.A. four picks in the top two rounds of next year’s draft and financial flexibility to reshape the roster over the next 18 months.
For the Pilots, Tettleton is an immediate upgrade. With Steinbach’s offensive woes dragging down the lineup, Tettleton gives Seattle a switch-hitting slugger with postseason experience and power from both sides. He’ll anchor the heart of the order as the Pilots fight for positioning in a crowded United League West. Fletcher adds depth and stability to a middle infield that’s rotated inconsistently all season.
The timing of the moves—executed just days before the All-Star break—makes a statement. The Dodgers, 13 games out in the UL West, have seen enough. “We weren’t contending anyway. This helps us get younger and cheaper,” said one Dodgers fan. Others weren’t so understanding: “We’re giving away our best players like it’s a garage sale.”
Reactions in Seattle were far more upbeat. “Tettleton might be streaky, but he’s exactly what this offense needed,” one fan said. “This makes us dangerous again.”
And across the league, executives took notice. “These are the kinds of trades that mark a turning point,” one scout observed. “L.A. just moved the last pieces of a contending core. It’s not a retool. It’s a full teardown.”
Dodgers, they’ve made their bet: build through the draft, reset the cap, and aim for 1997. Whether it works or not, one thing is clear—July 1st wasn’t just another date on the calendar. It was the day the Dodgers turned the page.