Dodgers News: Kevin Correia Talks Trade, Return To NL West

The Los Angeles Dodgers made their second move of the week on Saturday night, trading for right-hander Kevin Correia from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Correia will be thrust into the middle of a pennant race, as he is slated to start on Monday against the Atlanta Braves. The right-hander joins a team in need of pitching following injuries to Josh Beckett and Paul Maholm.

According to the Associated Press, Correia is excited about joining a potential playoff team:

It’s nice to be able to go somewhere and play some important baseball games at the end of this year and it’s a place I’m very familiar with, so it’s exciting,” Correia said after saying his goodbyes to Twins teammates at his locker. “It’s why we play this game.

“I’m getting toward the end of my career and you want to play in some meaningful games and I’ll have the opportunity to do that over there.”

Correia has been with four teams in his career previously and has never made an appearance in the postseason. This season, Correia is 5-13 with a 4.94 ERA in 23 starts. The Twins were currently in last place in the American League Central.

This will not be Correia’s first time in the NL West, having spent six seasons with the San Francisco Giants and two seasons with the San Diego Padres. The 33-year-old thinks that familiarity will help:

It’s a division I’m familiar with and there’s a couple of familiar faces from when I was with the Giants: Ned Colletti and Stan Conte, the trainer,” Correia said. “So it’s not going to be a completely foreign situation for me and I think that’ll help.”

If the Dodgers can get some production from Correia, then the trade will be deemed a success, especially if it leads to a repeat as NL West champion.