Dodgers swap minor league pitchers with Mariners trade
The Los Angeles Dodgers are always on the hunt for their next move in their never-ending bid to improve the roster. The reigning World Series champion is the most feared team in MLB for a reason, and on Sunday, they made a trade with the Seattle Mariners that seems rather curious but perhaps sets them up for another eventful offseason.
As announced by the official Mariners account on X (formerly Twitter), the Dodgers have traded left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz to the Pacific Northwest in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tyler Gough. On the sixth of November, LA had selected Ortiz's contract from the minors, adding him to the 40-man roster, so this move certainly raises a few eyebrows.
Ortiz, the 25-year-old lefty, had been showing promise as a reliever in the minors, progressing all the way to Triple-A in 2025. He struck out over 10 batters per nine innings last year across three minor-league levels, but he had some command issues — walking over five per nine. But he did end the season with a 2.73 ERA, and he could have conceivably made an impact for the MLB team in 2026.
Nevertheless, the Dodgers have at least now freed up a spot on the 40-man roster. They at least got something in return for Ortiz, who could have been snatched up for nothing in the Rule 5 Draft had he not been added to the 40-man. However, the pitcher they acquired in Gough missed the entire 2025 season with an elbow injury.
Are Dodgers headed for busier offseason?
It's not quite clear what's in store for the Dodgers now that they have another 40-man roster spot open. Will they use it to protect other Rule 5 eligible players? Or will they add another piece to this powerhouse squad?
The Dodgers will be gunning for a three-peat, and they have all the resources in the world available to them. Perhaps adding another heavy hitter or two to infuse their lineup that struggled for periods during the 2025 season with some more consistency. Left field was a problem area for LA in 2025, so they may want to address that via trade considering how dry the left field market in free agency is.
Broncos HC Sean Payton Facing Potentially Costly Punishment From NFL
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton may not get to enjoy the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs to the fullest if the NFL has any say.
Payton drew attention for the wrong reasons in Week 12, despite the Broncos defeating the Chiefs with a game-winning field goal. Moreover, it is something that will almost certainly draw a response from the league.
The veteran head coach will now have to wait and see what comes next.
NFL Could Punish Broncos HC Sean Payton
Broncos nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the third quarter of Sunday’s game. However, during the return, linesman Derick Bowers smashed into Payton because the Broncos head coach was standing on the off-limits white lines.
Typically, teams have “get-back guys” who help them avoid those situations. However, even then, that is before a play and not usually during.
At any rate, Payton received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty
The Broncos never felt the sting of that penalty during the game, but only because defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers also drew a penalty on the play. Franklin-Myers was tagged for an illegal blindside block during the return, which cost the Broncos 10 yards.
However, despite the penalty being waived off, Payton can expect to hear from the league when it dishes out its weekly list of fines.
The range of fines varies depending on the type of infraction/contact made.
Sean Payton Facing Potentially Costly Fine
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on before a game against the New York Giants.
The NFL fined Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad
The NFL fined Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct in October 2024. That was for coming onto the field while trying to call a timeout.
However, Payton could face an even stiffer penalty if the league connects certain dots.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin received a $100,000 fine during the 2013 season for being on the white lines during a kick return against the
The NFL also considered docking the Steelers’ draft picks in the 2014 cycle over the play. It did not draw a flag during the contest. They ultimately
Fortunately for the Broncos, Payton did not interfere with an opposing player.
Sean Payton Roasted After Getting Penalized, Taking Big Hit
While Payton could be lighter in the pockets for his infraction, the Broncos’ head coach quickly came out on the wrong end of several jokes on social media.
“Ref just laid out Sean Payton,” Pardon My Take posted on X on November 16.
“Sean Payton just got wiped out by the ref on the sideline and got penalized for being too close to the field. Everyone looks to be OK,”
“There’s a joke in there somewhere. Looks like one of the penalty flags got thrown directly at him.”
Payton will have extra time to heal up with the Broncos on bye in Week 12.
