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The Dodgers acquired three-time All-Star infielder Hanley Ramirez and left-handed reliever Randy Choate from the Miami Marlins for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and minor-league pitching prospect Scott McGough, according to multiple reports early today.

Ramirez, 28, was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2006, when he hit .292/.353/.480 (batting average/OBP/SLG) with 17 homers and 59 RBIs. Last season (.243) and again this year (.246), his batting average has slumped. His stolen bases are also down, from 51 in 2006, to 20 in 2011, and 14 this year. His 14 home runs and 47 RBIs both rank second on the Marlins this season.

A shortstop in his first six major-league seasons, Ramirez switched to third base this season. His eight

errors rank ninth-fewest among everyday major-league third basemen.

It's believed Ramirez will play shortstop for the Dodgers until Dee Gordon recovers from a torn thumb ligament, then move to third base.

Ramirez has been in and out of the doghouse for the past couple of years in Miami, since booting a ball into the left-field corner against Arizona in 2010 and then jogging after it while two runs scored and the batter raced to third base.

Earlier this season, Ramirez angrily punched a electric fan in the dugout and cut his hand, causing him to miss playing time and draw the ire of Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, on his Twitter account, quoted Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria as saying: "It's no secret I love the kid. He needs to have a fresh beginning, a new beginning. This is a very painful moment for me. But we had to do something."

Ramirez, a former National League batting champion and .300 career hitter, is signed through 2014. He is owed about $38 million over the remainder of his six-year, $70 million contract. It's believed the Dodgers will assume the rest of his contract.

Choate has a 2.49 ERA in 44 relief appearances for the Marlins this season.

Eovaldi, 22, was rated as the Dodgers' third-best prospect this past offseason. He made 10 starts this season, going 1-6 with a 4.15 ERA.

McGough, a right-hander who was a fifth-round pick out of the University of Oregon last year, was 3-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 35 relief appearances for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga of the California League, including the final inning of a 10-3 loss Tuesday night at Inland Empire.

The Dodgers are apparently still in the market for a starting pitcher, and have reportedly been in talks with the Chicago Cubs about acquiring either Ryan Dempster or Matt Garza.