NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Juan Encarnacion on Saturday from the Florida Marlins for a player to be named.
With only Shawn Green to anchor one of the worst offenses in the game, Los Angeles has been looking to improve, particularly in the outfield. Encarnacion, a 27-year-old slugger, is coming off a season in which he hit .270 with 37 doubles, 19 homers, 94 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
Squeezed in a crowded outfield situation in the playoffs, Encarnacion played in 15 postseason games but batted only .184 with two homers and three RBI for the world champions.
A seven-year veteran who made $3.45 million in 2003, Encarnacion was productive in his 1 1/2 seasons with Florida, recording 27 homers and 128 RBI in 225 games. After breaking in with Detroit in 1997 and spending five seasons with the Tigers, Encarnacion was traded to the Reds in December 2001.
