Former Florida RHP Dane Dunning traded ahead of MLB deadline season
The Texas Rangers traded Dunning to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night in exchange for right-handed reliever José Ruiz. Dunning has spent most of his major league career with Texas, but the Rangers waived him at the end of spring training, hoping a team would eat his $2.66 million salary.
Nothing happened, so Dunning returned and has spent most of the year in Triple-A. Texas repeated the process after an April call-up, and he's been back with the major league club since last month.
Dunning appears likely to work in a long-relief role for Atlanta. The day may not come when the Braves invite him to join the starting rotation, but he's been a capable back-end of the rotation starter in the past. Another arbitration year means Atlanta would have to pay more than the $2.66 million he's getting this year, so a non-tender is likely after the season.
Dane Dunning at Florida
A top-500 prospect out of high school, Dunning made 17 appearances for Florida as a true freshman in 2014. He struck out 31 batters in 24 innings and limited opponents to a .202 batting average and made his first career start against North Florida.
Dunning stepped into the starting rotation as a sophomore and was dominant against non-conference opponents. He struggled a bit with SEC bats but still ended the year with a strong 4.03 ERA. Dunning also struck out 55 over 60-plus innings and held opponents to a .213 batting average.
A move back to the bullpen turned Dunning into one of the SEC's best arms in 2016. Dunning appeared in 33 games for the Gators, starting just 5, and posted a 2.29 ERA with 88 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings. Shorter outings meant more effort with each pitch, and Dunning thrived in the role. He pitched 15.1 innings in the NCAA Tournament and only allowed one earned run.
Dane Dunning in MLB
Dunning's strong finish to his college career turned him into a first-round pick. He signed with the Washington Nationals, made one start in rookie ball and dominated Low-A hitters to close out 2016. The Nationals traded Dunning to the Chicago White Sox over the offseason as part of a lofty prospect package for center fielder Adam Eaton.
He spent most of 2017 in High-A and moved up to Double-A by the midway point of 2018. By this point, Dunning was considered a top-100 prospect by MLB. The injury bug hit and Tommy John surgery ended his 2019 season before it even started. With no minor league season in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, Dunning made his return to the game at the major league level with the White Sox. He threw 34 innings over seven starts, finishing with a 3.97 ERA.
Chicago traded him to Texas over the offseason for right-hander Lance Lynn. Dunning's first year with the Rangers wasn't excellent, with a 4.51 ERA teetering on the edge of acceptability. An ankle injury had something to do with that, and he was better through 2022 and 2023 as a regular member of the rotation. Over parts of five seasons with Texas, Dunning amassed a 4.36 ERA over 549 1/3 innings.
Other Gators at the trade deadline
None of the former Gators who are in the big leagues are involved in trade rumors right now, but a few minor leaguers look like prime candidates for the market. Hunter Barco has put together a breakout year in Triple-A and could be a trade piece for Pittsburgh, which develops pitchers better than hitters.
The New York Mets have a similar problem with a stockpiled Triple-A team filled with right-handed arms. Brandon Sproat is among a trio of 24-year-old righties that could be dealt to help clear space. Both Barco and Sproat are good trade candidates because they appear ready for a taste of MLB action.
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