Maybe this is what happens at the trade deadline:
Rotoworld Injury Updates
- Hyun-Jin Ryu (groin) pitched two innings in a simulated game on Wednesday. Next up is a three-inning simulated appearance Saturday in Los Angeles. The left-hander will likely begin a minor league rehab assignment after that.
- Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Julio Urias (shoulder) is a serious candidate to work out of the club’s bullpen down the stretch. Urias excelled in that role as a rookie during the 2016 season and could be a major weapon for Roberts in his quest for a division title in the National League West. He continues to inch closer to a minor league rehab assignment.
Do the Dodgers really need to add a bullpen piece if Ryu and Urias come back healthy? The Dodgers are taking their time with them, but both are progressing nicely. Ryu was the Dodgers best starter when he went down. He cannot pitch out of the pen, so someone else will go there… Stripling, Wood, Maeda, thus strengthening the pen. Julio Urias could be scary good out of the pen, He’s still only 21, but when he was 19 he was very, very good. The rehab and work he has had to do certainly has helped him mature. I’m excited that Doc thinks he can be a piece in the pen.
In the playoffs, when only 3 or 4 starters are employed, suddenly the Dodgers’ staff looks different. Starters (in my opinion) are Kershaw (he is looking like an Ace again), Hill, Buehler, Ryu. The relievers are Alexander, Hudson, Floro, Urias, Chicken Strip, Wood, Maeda and Jansen… or whoever else they want among Goddel, Baez, Chargois, Cingrani, Ferguson, Fields, Stewart and Santana. With 4 starters and 5 or 6 pitchers who are capable of going multiple innings, this 2018 Dodger team will not win 104 regular season games, but it just might be built to win ONE MORE in the playoffs!
I started writing this article before I found a similar article by Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com where he wrote:
The Dodgers will likely pick up a relief arm before Tuesday’s non-waiver Trade Deadline, because that’s what they do at trade deadlines.
But with so many injured pitchers in the process of returning, as well as the current surplus of starting pitchers, manager Dave Roberts said there is less of an urgency for reinforcements than there was a month ago.
Roberts on Friday was especially excited about the possibility of Julio Urias pitching out of the bullpen, as well as Dennis Santana. Urias has been out a year after shoulder surgery but will be in Los Angeles next week to pitch a simulated game. There isn’t time to build him up to start, Roberts said, so Urias will be a reliever if he returns this year. Santana has been sidelined since early June with a rotator cuff strain.
“If there’s a deal to be had, I’m sure our guys will be on it,” Roberts said. “With what we have, to go outside and do something just to do something, it’s got to really make sense because there’s a lot of good arms here that we know and we trust internally.”
The Dodgers opted not to overspend for recently traded relievers Brad Hand, Jeurys Familia or Zach Britton. With the current six-man rotation, Roberts said one starter will be moved to the bullpen. He didn’t say which one, but Ross Stripling, Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood have been successful in that role in the past.
Pedro Baez has already returned to the bullpen, and Roberts said Josh Fields and Tony Cingrani, in that order, aren’t far away from returning from shoulder issues.
Easily the most intriguing bullpen candidate is Urias.
“We don’t know what we’re going to get,” Roberts said of Urias, “but I will say that in the postseason of ’16, and his first taste of the big leagues and what he did — the heartbeat, the stuff — to get him back in a short stint is something we feel comfortable we can bet on. We’re all excited for this.”
Roberts said the reports on Urias in recent weeks have all been favorable. He said Hyun-Jin Ryu, recovering from a serious groin strain, will also throw a simulated game in Los Angeles next week. Ryu is not being considered for the bullpen.
He’s probably right – the Dodgers may very well make a trade, but it likely won’t be Bear Claw or some of the other notables, simply due to the price.
Andy McCullough also writes about Jurio Urias return at The LA Times.
Other Dodger News
- Roberts says Puig will be back today. Who do you keep – Forsythe or Verdugo? My money is on Verdugo. Goodbye Logan – your Run is over!
- Kenley Jansen looked very Jansen-esque last night with his cutter and hitting 95 MPH. Maybe it was just a mechanical thing…
- Gavin Lux remains on fire (.916 OPS) – Move him up!
- There has been a Yadier Alvarez sighting: 3 IP/2 H/0 R/1 BB/0 K – Would you trade him straight up for Bear Claw?
- Mitch White went 5 and allowed 7 hits with 2 Runs.
- Toles remains hot (2-4/.339) and Liberatore finally pitched.
Photocredit: CBS Sports
Discussion (101)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Bryce Harper on J.T. Realmuto’s walk-off single: “If that guy was on our side, that wouldn’t have happened.”
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Yeah, Bryce: You are a little Punk who needs punched in the face like Papelbon did it. Also, if you hit more than .210 maybe it wouldn’t have happened either. What a prima donna! Maybe when you grow up in 10 years, you can play for the Dodgers – now, go back and play in your sandbox.
I might add, that I have not lost any confidence in Cody. He will pull through this.
I meant Chad Green last night.
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13 games above .500… and climbing.
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Cody does look lost. I think he needs to sit a couple of games – just work on his approach.
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I thought about a AAA stint, but he will mash AAA pitching. He just needs to adjust to what they are doing now. He’s not having much fun…
Regarding Bellinger’s stance at the plate, I posted the other day the comments made by Nomar, in which he said that Cody had abandoned the bend at the knees he adopted on the advice of Matt Kemp. He’s standing straight up as he’s done in the past, with markedly poor results. Unless Cody makes some adjustments, he’s going to become a liability in the lineup. With all his talent, Cody has weaknesses that he needs to focus on. And when he finds something that works, he needs to stick with it. Maybe he’ll make some fixes going forward this season, or perhaps it will take a full off-season and spring training next year to lock in a fix.
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No sense in speculating what the Dodgers will do between now and Tuesday’s trade deadline. It will come soon enough.
Uceta, Jimenez and Robinson ortiz
Like I said guys, we are all posturing and speculating, but I bet my bottom dollar that FAZ is going to blow our minds between now and Tuesday. Fasten your seat belts, it might get turbulent.
Just an all around pleasure watching today’s game. Logan too made a couple XLNT plays! I’m rooting for him. But then I’m rooting all of em!
Pay Machado and let him play Short if he so desires or just pay him SS money. I would love to see him and Seager hitting 2nd and 3rd next year.
Shane Greene makes sense.
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Pederson , Baez and Fields!
Would someone please remove the cement buckets Bellinger has his feet planted in whenever he swings? He looks absolutely atrocious .
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Regarding Puig – I haven’t heard Bum pipe in.
Chip Carey and Joe Simpson blasting the Dodgers for being unprofessional because they wore t-shirts during batting practice and not jerseys. Simpson said Dodgers fans should be embarrassed. Called out Utley too for not wearing socks.
Ferguson
Its real
Say I believe in Yasiel!
Welcome back, Yasiel!
Bums like to trade every player other than Joc, but with the NYY looking for someone to fill the OF spot left open because of Judge’s injury I would propose a Joc to NYY for Chad Green. NYY wants a legit #4 OF once Judge returns, and they have a boatload of relievers. NYY wants a left hand hitting OF. Maybe FAZ can include Baez to replace Green. Green would be the legit 8th inning setup bridge for Jansen. The trade would open a spot for Verdugo who FAZ obviously covets because they will not trade him.
I agree with Vegas about Jocy, it’s time to give him a little rope against left handed pitching. He put good wood on the ball last night against a lefty and lined out to left field. If he uses that approach, he should be fine. Quit platooning him and let his confidence build up. He has to learn sometime, why not now?
By the way, tonights lineup doesn’t impress me, especially when Logi Bear and Barnes are in at the same time. Uhhh..
I do hope the only reason, Verdugo is going back to OKC is that F&Z are working on a deal that will include Forsythe and maybe Puig also.
I agree with Mark regarding Forsythe. I was writing a post earlier on my phone when my finger accidentally flipped it away. Too busy at the time to re-write it. It makes no sense to me that the Dodgers would just DFA Forsythe with only a few days left in the non-waiver trading period. Why not wait, and take a chance that you may be able to move at least a part of his remaining $3+million? You never know what other teams think of a player, and what they’re willing to do. Every dollar the Dodgers save towards keeping themselves below the CBT threshhold, is that much more flexibility to enable them to take on contracts. Verdugo has options, and can be brought back at any time after the dust clears. And if Forsythe can’t be moved, he can be DFA’d at any time.
I just do not see how the Dodgers can keep Forsythe and option Verdugo. I think the Dodgers look much better with Verdugo in the line up. Something has to break in the outfield. I believe the best outfield we could put on the field is Kemp, Verdugo and Toles. I just think the Dodgers will not part with Joc. So Puig and Toles are the ones to be traded. Sad. I do not know if Puig, Toles and one more farm kid like Wong will get us Archer. I would sure try. I would throw in Forsythe just to open up a place on the team and pay his salary.
Just for fun chris archer trade prediction: Dustin may, DJ Peter’s, and conor wong.
Tonight’s Dodger lineup at Braves:
Taylor SS
Machado 3B
Kemp LF
Hernández CF
Bellinger 1B
Forsythe 2B
Puig RF
Barnes C
Wood P
Welcome back Puig!
I am going to stick to my guns and say that between now and Tuesday night FAZ is going to pull the trigger on a deal that will sting both teams a bit. We have way too many good outfielders who are all playing well, plus Puig just came back. Also, we still have all of our big time minor league pieces. FAZ has been real quiet the last 4 or 5 days, reminds me of when they landed Darvish at the last moment. They also have a reputation for being very secretive, which drives us fans crazy. Just seems like something is brewin’…..
DODGERS REINSTATE YASIEL PUIG
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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated outfielder Yasiel Puig from the 10-day disabled list (right oblique strain) and optioned outfielder Alex Verdugo to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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Puig, 27, returns to the club after missing 15 games due to a right oblique strain and appearing in three rehab contests with Triple-A Oklahoma City going 2-for-9 (.222) with two runs, an RBI and a walk. In 76 games for Los Angeles this season, the Cuba native is batting .265 with 38 runs, 17 doubles, 11 home runs, 35 RBI and seven stolen bases.
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Verdugo, 22, has hit .280 (14-for-50) with seven runs, five doubles, one home run and three RBI along with a .345 on-base percentage in 14 games with the Dodgers this season.
Here is an article from Dodgers Nation that offers reasons people love Joc Pederson. Interesting, it is those same reasons that MJ has given for finding fault with him.
http://www.dodgersnation.com/why-dodgers-fans-love-joc-pederson-ce1110/2018/07/27/?utm_source=DNVersion1&utm_campaign=b62e361530-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bc32bd168c-b62e361530-15564917
Just a wild guess, given that I’ve seen very little of Archer, but is there any chance that the Dodgers might think that he could adapt quickly to the pen, and be more effective there?
Agree with AC and Hawkeye. I can’t trust that a bunch of guys coming off the DL (especially the 21 year old Urias, who hasn’t pitched in over a year) can be counted on down the stretch and into the playoffs. Maybe some of them, but not all. If they exceed expectations, wonderful. But I prefer to buy some insurance.
They may be finding the price tag so high on the relief pitchers who make sense that the plan is to grab Archer and put Wood and Maeda in the pen.
I GOOD SET UP MAN IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WS OR NOT FOR DODGERS. THATS THE IMPORTANT OF THIS RELIEVER PICHER
I am with Hawkeye. I do not share Mark’s enthusiasm for Urias to be able to come back and pitch in a high leverage role. If it is not high leverage, why take out Ferguson who has been the best multiple inning reliever the Dodgers have. In 7 relief appearances he has 18.0 IP, allowing 2 earned runs (1.00 ERA), 12 hits, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 24 K, and 1 HR allowed. Urias has a higher ceiling, but right now I trust Ferguson more as a reliever than a pitcher who has not pitched in more than a year after a significant shoulder surgery.
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We know that one of the relievers Doc trusts is Baez. If FAZ does not take away that choice, Doc is going to bring him in a high leverage situation and hope he is right. With a rotator cuff sprain, you really expect Santana to be effective in a pennant race? With all of 3.1 not very effective IP at the MLB level? You are ready to say that Fields and Cingrani will stay healthy?
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Buehler and Ryu cannot relieve, leaving Kershaw, Hill, Buehler, and Ryu as the post season pitchers. Yes that would move Maeda, Wood, and Stripling to the pen. When was the last time Ryu has stayed healthy over an extended period of time? Same goes for Buehler who is still on an innings watch.
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Irrespective of last night’s game, when was the last time Kershaw has been dominant over an extended period of time? When was the last time (first time) Kersh has been dominant over an entire post season?
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Other than Ferguson (and Jansen) here are the metrics for the current bullpen:
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Alexander – 47.0 IP, 3.26 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 1.123 WHIP
Hudson – 38.2 IP, 4.42 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 1.397 WHIP
Goeddel – 24.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 1.333 WHIP
Chargois – 23.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 1.329 WHIP
Baez – 32.2 IP, 3.31 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 1.500 WHIP
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Other than Goeddel, the FIP scores indicate that the ERA is appropriate. Goeddel’s FIP shows that his ERA is not sustainable. Not one ERA under 3.00, and only 1 WHIP under 1.329.
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Okay maybe Barraclough will be too costly. How about:
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Jared Hughes – 53.2 IP, 1.51 ERA, 3.14 FIP, 1.137 WHIP
David Hernandez – 39.1 IP, 1.83 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 0.932 WHIP
Jose Leclerc – 36.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 1.036 WHIP
Keone Kela – 35.2 IP, 3.28 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 1.093 WHIP
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Everyone of them has a better FIP and WHIP than the 5 Dodger relievers.
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FAZ can hide their collective heads in the sand and hope that the pitchers will stay healthy, or they can be proactive and go out and get pitching before the championship window begins to close. If they get a couple of better pitchers and everyone else comes back and stays healthy, then there will be some tough choices to make. But that is why they make the big bucks.
I wonder if the Nationals would allow Harper to talk to the Dodgers about a contract extension before a trade were made.
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This would blow our minds if Manny and Bryce agreed to contract extensions with the Dodgers. Would they take 9 year $300M contracts with opt out clauses at age 30? Knee jerk reaction would be “hell no”. But, jerks aside, would the Dodgers do that? Who would go to the Nationals assuming Bryce agreed to extend? I assume the Dodgers would be willing to offer more if true.
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I would start with Puig and Verdugo and Stripling. The Nationals don’t have to know that Bryce agreed to extend. Old grumpy people need not reply.
I too think we’re better built for the playoffs if we use all of our arms correctly. However, my biggest fear is the lack of an ace. Yeah Kersh looked good yesterday, but I’ve seen October Kersh too many times to expect anything different this October. Anyone expecting otherwise: see Charlie Brown trying to kick the football while Lucy holds it.
If we go far this October, it will have to because our bullpen is ready to go 4-5ip almost every game, and our offense with Manny and a healthy JT carry us.
Verdugo was told last night that he was going down. I thought I posted that.
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Familia was given away for 2 non-prospects and $1 million in international spending money.
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Urias could be a weapon or he could look like a 21 year old guy who hasn’t pitched in a year because he had shoulder surgery. Ryu could look like he did early in the season or like someone who is in spring training because he hasn’t pitched forever or somewhere in between. He’s notoriously bad against Colorado.
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I get the feeling that Stripling is going revert to a bit closer to the pitcher he’s been. His HRs/9 is extremely high and he may be running out of gas.
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If the Dodgers strengthen their pen with Maeda and Wood then I don’t know who’s starting in the playoffs other than Kershaw and Hill
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They must have JT clicking down the stretch.
I think they activated Puig today to do just that. He’s trade bait.
I read somewhere yesterday that Verdugo will be sent out to make room for Puig. No one is taking Forsythe off our hands so they should just peel the band-aid off and DFA him. Call me crazy but I like our BP pieces but a strong #2 SP would like nice in a playoff series. I don’t know why but Kershaw, Hill, Maeda, Buehler kind of make me feel uneasy about a playoff series. I would feel a lot better with Kershaw, deGrom, Hill, Buehler and Maeda in the BP.
I would not at all be surprised to read next week that Puig is traded for us to acquire pitching (relief or starting).
No Stripling on your playoff roster, Mark?