The Dodgers have activated injured starter Hyun-Jin Ryu from the injured list, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. To clear a roster spot for Ryu, right-handed pitcher Casey Sadler has been optioned to Triple-A. Ryu will start Sunday’s series finale versus the Diamondbacks.
Ryu landed on the IL in early August owing to a minor neck issue. He last pitched on July 31, but he’ll return to the Dodgers’ rotation after the minimum ten days out of commission. Ryu has emerged as one of the National League’s premier starters, tossing 135 2/3 innings while maintaining a minuscule 1.53 ERA, placing him among the frontrunners for the NL Cy Young Award. After signing the qualifying offer last offseason, Ryu will have the chance to enter free agency in the winter following a career year.
Sadler’s demotion, meanwhile, can’t be attributed to a lack of results. Since joining the Dodgers in an early-July trade with the Rays, the 29-year-old has surrendered just one run in 12 1/3 innings of work. However, his peripheral numbers paint a slightly less rosy picture, as he’s struck out just 5.8 batters per nine innings. Still, Sadler has no doubt shown that he is deserving of a spot on a Major League roster, but the state of Dodgers’ deep pitching staff will squeeze him out of the mix for the time being.
Gurnick would add in a subsequent Tweet that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts would like to get a look at other relief options as the postseason approaches. The Dodgers’ expansive lead in the division should afford them greater flexibility to give opportunities to young pitchers who hope to claim a spot on the postseason roster. In addition to young standouts Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, pitchers like Caleb Ferguson and JT Chargois look like fringe candidates to crack the October roster, and Sadler’s demotion should give Roberts a chance to figure out exactly what he has in Ferguson and Chargois.
“Good Job Sadler, you have been one of our best arms in the Bullpen. Your ERA is well below 2 still. Here is a ticket to OKC while Ferguson, Chargois, and Garcia get to stay.”
They’re just finessing the system like always he had an option available so they used it
He’ll be back within a week, the move means nothing
Exactly! What a crock. Roberts wants to see what he has? Let me help him – nothing. Must be time to get rid of a relief pitcher who is actually producing. Frustrating!
Agreed. They are only 18 games up in the West. No time to experiment!
I don’t see any actual experiment, just more the same. Roberts never said that anyhow, it was the conclusion of someone who really doesn’t seem to know a lot about the Dodgers. As far as the lead is concerned we know the Dodgers are not playing for the division now, they are playing for home field advantage. They aren’t getting that over the Yankees or the Astros with experimentation, they do it by winning 105 games.
Dude, really!!??
Even if he had options available, he has been consistent since his arrival. Bad move.
Why not Ferguson instead?
Ferguson is a left hander, he has been trying to find the form he had last year. He had some injuries that slowed him down. Dodgers will need another LH reliever for the playoffs, so now is the time to see what Ferguson can do.
Agree on Ferguson logic. Garcia? Really?
Why not Chargois instead?
Why are you guys online and not working for the Dodgers FO?
Another question you probably hear all the time…. Do you want marshmallows in your hot chocolate?
Dude!
Garcia has no options left
Dodgers just need to get to Sept 1st with their mediocre relievers. When rosters expand, they’ll be able to keep everyone and properly choose the hot hands for the 25 man playoff roster. Until then, they’ll shuttle anyone with options back to OKC, even if they’re pitching well. This is how they do things now, nothing to see here.
Garcia doesn’t need options. He needs to be R E L E A S E D.
Garcia is pretty marginal but he’s been just about as good this season as Jansen and not far behind anybody else in this pen. And that just shows to go ya.
Release a guy with a 2.54 ERA since mid-April?
Yes. I don’t care if his ERA is zero. The dude is crap. He showed it again today. He does not belong on this team.
Who does? I mean, isn’t that the real question?
Ferguson has been with the Dodgers for five years and Chargois for two so the Dodgers already know everything they need to know about what they have in both of them. Nothing should be read into this move except that the Dodgers are doing what they always do, which is constantly churn their bullpen. Now if they brought up Gonsolin to pitch in relief that would be something new and different. Otherwise, nothing to see here.
still confused as to Tampa’s bullpen strategy. Sadler is older and Gibaut wasnt having a great year, but they were bad choices to cut. Exhibit A. Gibaut will be exhibit B by year’s end most likely.
You’re confused with Tampa’s choices?How about the Pirates’?!NH was stupid enough to lose Sadler the first time,then even more stupid enough not to pick him back up!The “shark” tank isn’t biting anybody but their own team,and it has pulled everyone down.Hurdle is too stupid not to use Vasquez,and keeps on trotting out Crick,who should have been in AAA for months.
Sadler is a perfect example of someone who has learned to pitch.He will never be a big name,and will not break a pane of glass with his fastball.but at the very least he will keep you in the game.
I think that Tampa,like the Dodgers,just have a lot of fairly good pitchers.
Wow Garcia and Chargois sure looked great today.. *sigh*. I get that there is time to try stuff but please never use these two in close games. They always have issues.
Exactly what has Chargrois done to deserve a roster spot. What has Yimi Garcia done to keep his roster spot. Ok, down with Saddler. Hopefully, that genius Friedman will jettison the garbage and let Gonsolin and May show what they can do in the short term.
May, Gonsolin, Urias, Kelly, and Jansen have to carry LA in the playoffs. But the best help may be Gavin Lux, who is riding one of the hottest Month-Long hitting lines in AAA for a 21-year old , maybe in History. The Dodgers call up Smith? Yep, great move. Beaty? Yep, great results. May? Yep. Gonsolin? Yep. Verdugo? Hell yea. But Lux? in 34 games in AAA, every game since his promotion there, he has 63 hits, 29 of the xtra bases including 10 Hr. He is hitting .441 OBP .524. Slugging .811. OPS 1.335/ Does he get a call up? Nope, Gyorko, a Roberts fanboy from their time in San Diego, and Tyler White, a .211 hitter and castoff from the Astros who has no good position. Dodgers have a HUGE lead, and can afford to see Lux in the Show, to get him ABs with no extra pressure. Anybody think Gyorko and Tyler White are gonna be WS Stars? Lux needs to be UP IN THE SHOW RIGHT NOW.
The Dodgers have been clear about Lux. They want him to play every day, something he would not do on the big team. Lux will be a September call-up for sure. No telling when Gyorko will appear. Maybe never. Agree with you on White. Can’t wait to get Freese healthy so we can send that big nothing packing back to wherever.
Blue-Are you saying that David Freese is no good?