The Dodgers announced a series of roster moves, most notably the activation of star outfielder Mookie Betts from the 10-day injured list. Right-hander Yefry Ramirez also had his contract selected, with James Sherfy moved to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster space. For the active roster, utilityman Zach McKinstry and right-hander Mitch White were optioned to Triple-A to open up two spots for Betts and Ramirez.
Betts returns after only a minimum 10-day stint on the IL, though he hasn’t appeared in a game since July 19 due to lingering inflammation in his right hip. The Dodgers held Betts out for several games to see if he could eventually return without the need of an IL visit, but it was ultimately decided to officially sideline Betts and give him time to recover.
According to manager Dave Roberts, Betts’ hip problem is one of a few minor injuries that have bothered the former AL MVP for most of the season. Betts’ numbers don’t have the look of a player limited by nagging injuries, as he has hit .270/.374/.502 with 14 home runs over 374 PA this season.
Interestingly, Betts will start at second base in today’s lineup, as part of the team’s plan to keep Betts fresh and healthy by reducing his time in the outfield. It seems likely that Betts will only play at the keystone every once in a while, though he might get more looks at the position until Trea Turner and Gavin Lux are both back from the injured list. Betts was originally drafted as a second baseman by the Red Sox, but was pretty quickly moved to the outfield, and has now won five consecutive Gold Gloves for his excellent defense on the grass.
Ramirez came to Los Angeles on a minor league contract in March, and the righty is looking to make his first MLB appearance since September 2019. Ramirez tossed 89 2/3 innings with the Orioles and Pirates in 2018-19, with a 6.32 ERA over his brief big league career. The 27-year-old signed a minors deal with the Mets in 2020 but didn’t get into any games with New York last year.
Will the dodgers have a forty man spot for Trea? Or is one already available
I believe they already created one for both Trea & Max prior to these moves.
The need to DFA one player for Turner and then another when Corey Knebel returns from the 60-day IL. The two will probably come from among Sheldon Neuse, Luke Raley, and Zack Reks. It’s possible they cut Billy McKinney though I’m hoping they find a way to keep him.
Really want to keep McKinney. He has just started to make contact. Although with negligible results thus far. He is, however, a wizard on defense.
That pitcher they called up today is a lock to be DFA after one game. Just like Kickham.
With any luck Ramirez gets his DFA without throwing a pitch.
Reks is gone. Almost 28 and he can’t hit a lick. I think they will find a way to keep McKinney. Former first round pick. I agree the second DFA candidate is either Neuse or Raley. Both strike out almost every AB. The new pitcher; Ramirez also a DFA candidate; or Alexander again to 60 day
Work on that D McKinstry –
They need to find a position he can play well rather than having him play 7 bad !
Mookies been hobbled all year, mad respect for keeping it on the hush…this is the reason LAD went Big on him imo, professionalism
C ya soon White
White finally looked comfortable yesterday. I was impressed; not gonna beat him up for the home run.
Indeed correct …Im not a White fan but we gonna need the length now w Catman down
There are no major concerns with the Dodgers. Bellinger will snap out of it. Even if he doesn’t, this is the most talented roster in franchise history.
If he doesn’t you have both CT3 and Trea to man CF
Cey I agree, Id even go farther and put them w those 60’s Yankees teams
I picked them to win 117 preseason ;(
Obv injs detoured that dream
They are a GREAT Baseball team but they haven’t played great baseball thru 103
1-10 extra inns something like .350 ball in 1 run games …….. They just haven’t even gotten up to 4th gear yet in the gearbox…I hope they do soon
It is difficult to repeat. After winning the first one, it’s hard to conjure up the same intensity. That’s not to say the players aren’t trying hard. It’s just a different kind of motivation. That’s why it’s a good idea to make a few roster moves after winning. That was probably part of the strategy of signing Bauer (and letting Pederson and Hernandez go). Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked as planned. Bringing in Scherzer and Turner will hopefully be different. A couple of ultra-competitive guys who have recently been there. I might be more excited about Trea than Max. A weakness of the Dodgers is team speed. Trea has a shot at leading the league in stolen bases. On a fastball-hitting team like the Dodgers, he should pay great dividends. It reminds me of Lopes in the ’70s. He could have stolen 90 bases a year if he wanted to, but his real value was being an SB threat. Lopes was a huge reason for Garvey and Cey’s success. Especially Garvey, who batted third and hardly ever walked.
Trae will be the everyday 2nd baseman and play short when Seager needs a day off! Trea only plays center if Belli is sent down, which most likely won’t happen!
Im excited about Trea for your reasons as well but the biggest one is I think it helps us stay AWAY from the dreaded 10/300 to Seager…
It might get us some footing on Max next year as well if Bauer’s money happens to fall off making a natural fit (Speculative)
I hope Mookie at second base is not similar to Joc at first base exercise. Mookie is a better athlete and played second base before but not in a while.
Problem with the current extra inning format is that it doesn’t suit the Dodgers style. They’re more feast or famine type of offensive club. Big explosion on any given inning or game masks the lack of consistency. I think getting the key offensive pieces all together will lessen this but right now lots of unproductive outs with less than two outs and man on second. That puts a lot of pressure on pitchers to throw zeroes in extra inning with runner at second.
In what world will Bellinger get sent down? What is the alternative that is so much better in the minors? Has anyone ever thought of that before blindly saying send him down? Or is it just anger? Nobody plays CF better than Bellinger and that includes Mookie.
Any team with Betts, Taylor and Bellinger on it already does not lack for speed. What they lack is a willingness to call the running plays. So sure, T. Turner adds more legwork, but it won’t be of a lot of use without those plays coming from the bench.
The fact Seager is going to get that lofty of a contract made me vomit in my mouth a little.
Agreed. McKinstry faded badly at the plate and together with shaky defense all year had to send him down. So many injuries with the pitching staff. Waiting for the day enough good pitchers are healthy and active so scrubs like these are not on the active roster.
Does Trevor Bauer still take up a spot on the 40-man or is he temporarily removed from it while on his ‘sabbatical’? This whole Bauer thing is going to be a disaster. Even if he ends up winning his court case, it’s apparent that the rest of his teammates don’t want him there and I’m sure the rest of the league feels the same way about him. So he’s most likely going to be forced to exercise his huge option for next season (as no other team will pay him) and he’s going to be a pariah in the clubhouse. If you’re a Dodgers fan, I guess you’re hoping he is found guilty and the Dodgers are able to void his contract. If not, it’s going to be an ugly situation in LA next season and maybe even 2023 as well.
He’s in the Dodgers!!!??? Man they got everybody!
Send Bellinger down already!!!
Wrong. Bellinger’s CF defense alone is worth it. You’d rather have a guy like Neuse or Raley or Recks take up a spot? Heck no.
I’m not saying that. Like those you mention are their only options.
Ok. Who are you going to bring up then? Another scrub minor leaguer? Some fans are just plain stupid. Taylor can’t play CF defense like Bellinger. Pollock? Ha. Betts is close but then you gotta plug someone else at RF. I’d take my chances with Bellinger’s elite glove and bounce back with the bat. But then again maybe you’re more knowledgeable than Andrew Friedman.
This team is about to get really scary. Betts, Turner, Turner, Seager, Muncy, Taylor, Pollock, Smith….. Absolutely NO EASY OUTS
Pujols contributing as well. He and Muncy seem to have become best buds. Muncy has become more of a complete since Pujols came on board. I doubt it’s just a coincidence.
I’m thrilled about the year Pollock is having. Vilified for no reason by clueless fans. Golden boys Bellinger and Seager did zilch in that Washington series, yet for some reason, fans chose Pollock to be the bad guy. Signing Pollock has turned out to be a good decision. Consummate professional.
To be fair Pollock was absolutely lost at the plate in that series. Yes, pleasantly surprised that he’s performed well in 2020/2021 but he still looks shaky on defense. Hoping he’ll continue to put together good ABs.
Pollocks contract has been bad till this year but he’s locked in currently, probably more than anyone outside Taylor-
It’s all about that front shoulder w Pollock. When he keeps it in (engaged) long he’s got incredible power/force – He’s no prime Albert or Miggy but when he keeps that shoulder back long the force he creates is reminiscent . Not many RH hitters keep that shoulder engaged they tend to use hips/butt as more of a driver, still effective but not 100% optimal. Pollock does have that rare, unteachable tool at the plate I will say
Agree on D 2015 – He plays Really really smart tho, good reads good angles but boy does he need it as the speed/athleticism has ben zapped and the body looks ollllllddddddd…..I never wanna see him dive for a ball NEVER NEVER NEVER and I think thats says (a lil) something
Pollock’s contract wasn’t just finally good this year, he was great last year as well. He had a 130 OPS+ in 2020.
Now, you are back. Always been a fan of Pollock. Totally professional.
Bellinger is an easy out
Yeah, for NOW. He still is an elite hitter and NOT an easy out.
No he really isn’t. 2017/2019 were flukes it seems. I love his defense and all but he has one swing and it’s for the fences but has holes really everywhere in the swing
This is the only bad season (so far) for Cody Bellinger, and injuries have mostly wrecked it. If 2017 and 2019 were flukes, then he’s merely a 15-20% better hitter by OPS than league average, who just happens to have elite base-running and all-world defense in CF. His 2018 and 2020 seasons obviously weren’t as good as his two best years at the plate, but both were better than league average in OPS.
the fact you left a former MVP out of that list makes it even more scary, problems or not at the plate for Bellinger.
Read that fast and thought there was a player named Yefry Sherfy
Lol
I like McKinstry but he was in a funk and needed to be optioned as this point. I hope he can fix what is broken or he will sit down there for the remainder.
I agree. McKinstry killed a rally in the 8th on Tuesday in Frisco by swinging at a ball a foot outside and low. Taylor then doubled, with Raley having singled to lead off before McKinstry.
The Blue failed to score, and then the Giants forged ahead to win. They should have scored at least two runs in that top of the inning.
That game was very winnable and the loss meant two games in the standings.
Keep him fresh by putting him at 2B? I don’t understand that logic.
less running probably
Yes, they have bad turf.
He left off right before he went on the IL. Look for the Dodgers to start rolling.
There is a chance that the Dodgers could void the contract with Bauer. Paragraph 7(b)1 of the uniform player’s contract, states that a contract can be voided if a player “shall fail, refuse, or neglect to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship and good sportsmanship or keep himself in first-class physical condition.”
Paragraph 3 (a), furthermore, states that “The player agrees to perform his services hereunder diligently and faithfully, to keep himself in first-class physical condition and to obey the club’s training rules, and pledges himself to the American public and to the club to conform to high standards of personal conduct, fair play and good sportsmanship.”