3:42 PM: Right-hander Ryan Pepiot, selected by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2019 amateur draft, will indeed make his major league debut tomorrow, reports Juan Toribio of MLB.com (Twitter link). As noted below, the move had been widely speculated after Robbie Erlin — the most logical candidate on the active roster to start tomorrow afternoon’s game against the Pirates — worked in relief both Sunday and Monday.
It’ll be the first taste of the majors for Pepiot. After reaching Triple-A last year in his first full minor league season, the Butler product has cruised through 26 1/3 innings (over six starts) with a 2.05 ERA at Triple-A Oklahoma City. With no timetable set for Andrew Heaney’s return from the IL, it could be more than just a spot start for Pepiot should he find some success.
10:09 AM: The Dodgers have added right-handed pitching prospect Ryan Pepiot to their taxi squad, and manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett) that the move “just leaves the option” for the club to potentially start Pepiot for Wednesday’s game against the Pirates. If Pepiot does start, it will mark the 24-year-old’s MLB debut.
By using Robbie Erlin in relief work both on Sunday and Monday, Roberts admitted that “certainly makes it more likely” that Pepiot will indeed get the ball for Wednesday’s game. However, Roberts also cited Andre Jackson as a potential starting candidate, and said that “we’re not going to commit to” a starter for now, “but certainly getting [Pepiot] here in town puts us in a position where we can do that if we choose to.”
There could be some gamesmanship at play here, since it would seem a little unusual for the Dodgers to disrupt Pepiot’s Triple-A routine by bringing him to Pittsburgh and then leaving him on the taxi squad. Or, the Dodgers might simply be weighing some roster considerations, as Pepiot would need to be added to the 40-man (whereas Jackson, who is also at Triple-A, is already on the 40-man roster).
Los Angeles has the need for an extra arm due to a doubleheader last Saturday against the Cubs, and then another doubleheader scheduled for May 17 against the Diamondbacks. All told, the Dodgers are in the midst of a stretch of 14 games in 12 days, so whomever starts on Wednesday will also take the mound for one of those two May 17 games.
Pepiot was a third-round pick for the Dodgers in the 2019 draft, and looks to be the latest in a long line of quality arms developed out of the L.A. farm system. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked Pepiot 59th on his preseason list of baseball’s best prospects, crediting the right-hander with “probably has the best changeup in the whole minor leagues, an at least 70-grade Bugs Bunny-type offering.” Baseball America (ranking Pepiot 90th on their top 100 list) and MLB Pipeline (99th) have similar praise for Pepiot’s changeup, with BA’s scouting report even giving the pitch a perfect 80 on the 20-80 grading scale.
Pepiot’s 94-97 mph fastball is another premium offering, earning 70-grades from BA and Pipeline. However, his fastball control isn’t great and his slider and curveball are pretty average, leading to questions about whether or not Pepiot’s ultimate future might be in relief pitching. Over 151 total innings in the minors, Pepiot has a 3.75 ERA, 30.22% strikeout rate, and 11.21% walk rate — this include a 2.05 ERA over six starts and 26 1/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.
“Peepee”!!!
Los Karens, making moves!
And Los Idiot here still feels like he’s important in the comment section when he really isn’t
Triggered much?
You seem triggered by LAD success. It’s fairly clear that your negative feedback says more about you- Rocker49- than anything else.
I don’t get your comment. Other than jealousy spewing out of your mouth. Who do you root for?
Jealous of Los Karen fans’ tears from 2017 flowing for the rest of their pathetic lives?
Most of us have accepted it… it happened and then we won so…
A nice little 60 game season, similar to the little league World Series.
The same season your little league team didn’t win. So what’s your lame argument
Please don’t feed the trolls.
Not sure how the doubleheader on Saturday created this need since it was the result of a rainout on Friday. The truth is the Dodgers’ rotation is thin.
You don’t see how?? Umm it mean the guy who should of went Friday. Went Saturday and now doesn’t have that extra day rest he would of had going Friday . Not that hard to understand
Point taken, but they could always go with a bullpen game.
The Dodgers decided they didn’t want to do a bullpen game. And they know more about their team than you do.
Have you read BlueSkies post much? It’s likely Bill Plaschke’s username. That “writer” always knows better.
Geez! Take it easy. He just made a comment.
It’s not thin, even with Bauer being thrown into the shadow realm. Buehler, Urias, Kershaw, Gonsolin, Anderson is a very good top 5. Heaney eventually will be back. Plus any top prospect they want to call up.
Bauer is far beyond the shadow realm. He will never throw another pitch for the Dodgers, and probably not for anyone else either.
A deep rotation includes some depth, and in the past they’ve had it. Right now the depth is Jackson and Pepiot, and that could go on for awhile with no word on when Heaney will return. Mitch White will be a possibility for a spot start in a few days presumably, but all of those options are far from ideal.
Those options are not ideal for a postseason game. The Dodgers can get by just fine in the regular season with an Andre Jackson type starting. They won 106 games last year with an abundance of bullpen games.
The Dodgers have more starting pitching depth than most other teams.
They have a power 1-2-3 punch of Buehler-Kershaw-Urias better than all but a couple of thirty teams. Maybe even the best 1-2-3.
They have Gonsolin and Anderson as acceptable 4-5.
They have Heaney and Dustin May on the IR. May could be ready before the playoffs. Plus they have Bobby Miller, Pepiot and Price.
At best, Bauer will get a reduction in his suspension so he can return Opening Day 2024. That seems fair to me. I could see a team taking a chance on him, in my mind, maybe 40%-50% that he pitches in MLB again. But not with the Dodgers, not unless there are new owners.
The Dodgers aren’t most other teams, they’re out to win the toughest division in baseball. I’m also not talking about August or September, or even June or July. I’m talking about now, and now they’re looking at starting Pepiot, not because they believe he’s ready for his debut, but because he’s the only option. The better option would be use a swingman out of the bullpen, but they don’t have that guy currently. Not exactly what we’re used to seeing on the Dodgers. They usually have starters lined up like airplanes landing at LAX. Reinforcements are coming, but not soon. So the next few weeks could be some rough sledding.
On Bauer, it won’t matter if his suspension is reduced, because everything he’s said and done points him never agreeing to serve it. He’ll sue instead, and make himself even more radioactive than he is already.
31 games in 30 days
Indeed tight, and probably why they cant have Rps going long distances /pen games/etc
Roberts may have to loosen the leash on Julio and Kershaw and let them go a bit longer these next 30 days to help that pen
The schedule is tissue soft tho these next 3 weeks , offence can always help the staff by scoring more as well. Personally Id roster White and Jackson this next month in the pen just to mop up blow outs and save the pen …A good 1 inn dude will ultimately get the axe for a month but so be it
I disagree respectfully
Outside the top 6 they still have White Jackson Pepoit and maybe even Miller in Sept . Erlin is being stretched out as well
Also the option of maybe stretching out Bickford and Graterol to split games as well, tho I find that unlikely- Both were {recently} ex starters that still want to start
Overrated
You heard it here first folks!
I believe he’s talking about himself.
He’s a baby doctor after all
Roberts is just giving a “pep” talk.
Dodgers’ rotation is not thin by most teams standards:
A power 1-2-3 with Buehler, Kershaw and Urias.
A solid 4 and 5 with Gonsolin, Tyler and Heaney.
Miller and Pepiot waiting in the wings, Price and Jackson for emergencies.
And, with a lot of luck, this Dustin May guy will be back by the end of the season and be serviceable again.
Will the Dodgers be in trouble if Kershaw gets injured. Sure, but what other team won’t be hurting if their #1 or #2 pitcher goes down?
It not thin when everyone healthy but when one guy out and they have a need for a 5th so they don’t have bull pen games . Rain outs meaning for double headers don’t help
Not thin but not as dominant as in the past from a high quality perspective. We’ll see how it plays out but the rotation is still a potential weakness. Bullpen has done well but losing Treinen really hurts. Offense is way too up and down and you wonder if dead ball hurts the Dodgers more as they have many players who benefited from juiced ball. Hitting lower length homers in past. Guys like older Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Taylor and even Betts, etc. This may trigger a strategy approach change at the plate. Line drives and avoiding fly balls. But leads to more double plays. We’ll see. Homers should increase as weather warms up but seems like homer rates are coming down significantly.
Dodger starters have a 1.88 ERA. Not a bad “weakness” to have.
Rookie pitcher SZN
Slow News Day?
Why are the dodger not playing Rois? Yesterday when Taylor got hurt they used Munsey as his replacement. Play him more or send him down and bring up an OF as his replacement, We only have 3 true OF’s. Lux is still leaning.
The thinking was likely: putting Rios in LF would have made them slightly weaker defensively than having Lux in LF.
But after about 1/6 of the season, I would have hoped Rios would have played more than he has. With the LAD depth, very good players are often underutilized.
eg.: Enrique Hernandez
Probably because they want their best lineup out there day after day and Rois defense could be a reason to not play him?
If Rios played a better 3b I think Turner might be in trouble
Either way cheer long and hard for Justin b/c this is probably his last year with the Dodgers
Hoping we see some Michael Busch the 2nd half.
Rios is just a backup with pop, he will be eclipsed by Miguel Vargas by Opening Day 2023.
Worse defensive problems w Vargas than Rios
Inf def might be a lil sus w Lad moving forward
Rios Busch Vargas and Lux all a little shaky and below avg. Muncy also plays a below avg 3b as well, tho adequate at 2b
In 2023, the infield will be Will Smith at c, Freeman at 1B, Busch at 2B, Lux at ss, and Vargas at 3B. Muncy will DH. Outfield will be Betts, Taylor and Belli.
This Thursday is Max Muncy Bobblehead evening!
Woof; that’s a terrible defensive inf
Works wonders for the ledger but boy scary to think about for the pitchers
@Mannybeingbiased…..You may want to temper your opinions with the realization that you likely suffer from homerism.
J Turner’s bat looks a lot slower. Father Time catching up. Needs to start swing earlier to catch up to hard stuff leading to more chasing out of the zone. Combine that with dead ball and J Turner is struggling.
His success on heaters has not down great for a few years. He’ll be kept around as he likely has a future as a manager for the Dodgers.
I agree that next year’s infield will not be known for their defense. But it will be young, cheap and enable the Dodgers to have money for other areas.
I expect the Dodgers to sign two of the following for 2023 to add to Buehler, Urias, Gonsolin and Dustin May:
Kershaw, Musgrove, Bassitt and Rodon. Plus a closer not named Kimbrel.
I can see your ledger conscious as well which I appreciate.
Most Dodger fans tend to play w Monopoly money
IMO, I don’t want to drop another dime into the pen, pick up trienans 8 and Hudsons 6.5 options and let the kids go crazy filling in the rest (there’s SOOO damn many!)
As Ive said many times I think Lad will duck the CBT next year.
My main (offseason) goals would be locking up ext’s on Julio and Buehler as soon as possible. Closer they get to free agency less leverage we have to not overpay
pretty sure Rodon signed a 2 yr contract with SF in 2022
On Rodón, It’s two years with a potential opt-out if he pitches 110 innings. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/giants-sign-carlos-rodon.html