The Dodgers announced to reporters, including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links), some Opening Day roster moves. Outfielder Jason Heyward has had his contract selected, with infielder Gavin Lux going on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Also, right-hander Ryan Pepiot will begin the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Fellow righty Michael Grove will take his place on the roster.
Heyward taking the roster spot of Lux is no surprise, as the latter suffered a torn ACL during the spring and is expected to miss the entirety of the upcoming season. It was also reported a week ago that Heyward would make the Opening Day roster, jumping into the outfield mix alongside Mookie Betts, David Peralta, Trayce Thompson and James Outman.
Pepiot’s injury, on the other hand, is new information. It was less than a week ago that it was reported he beat out Grove for the final rotation spot. The two hurlers each got to make brief MLB debuts last year, with Pepiot posting a 3.47 ERA in 36 1/3 innings while Grove had a 4.60 ERA in 29 1/3 innings. In this year’s Spring Training, Pepiot had a 3.29 ERA in 13 2/3 innings while Grove had a 5.40 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. Manager Dave Roberts said that Pepiot “outperformed” Grove for the job, but Grove will now take the gig with Pepiot on the shelf.
The Dodgers will still have a strong front four in their rotation in Julio Urías, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Noah Syndergaard, but their depth is going to be tested early. The reason the fifth spot even became up for grabs was because Tony Gonsolin suffered an ankle sprain and isn’t expected back until late April. The club hasn’t provided a timeline on Pepiot’s injury but even mild oblique strains often require weeks-long absences. That should leave the Dodgers down two starters for a while.
Grove, 26, has been considered one of the club’s top 20 prospects in recent years due to his work in the minors. He posted a 3.79 ERA in 76 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year, striking out 28% of opponents against an 8.1% walk rate. Though he didn’t quite match those results in the big leagues last year, he’ll look to take a step forward here in 2023.
Should the Dodgers need another starter in the next few weeks, the best healthy option on the 40-man roster might be Andre Jackson, though they will also have non-roster option in top prospects Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone.
OBLIQUE STRAINS FOR EVERYONE!!!
When Grove hits the IL. is Stone next up to join the roster? Who moves to 60 day to make room for him on the 40 man?
If I was a Dodger fan, I’d say eff it and begin Miller time! Bobby looks legit.
Oblique Strain; the new Covid? All MLB players need to check their bats, after all, that’s where they say Covid came from, crappy bats…
I do believe all those Louisville Sluggers are created in a lab… you might be on to somethin’ Curls!
@Gwynning, I’m shaken, my China cabinet at home is now off limits…
That was quick. Grove hasn’t exactly performed, and Miller is still recovering. Maybe Stone gets his chance sooner than later. Next man up as they say.
Woof another guy who was supposed to get a chance.
The amount of injuries are getting scarily ridiculous…
These guys would get hurt far less often if they didn’t play baseball.
A few side twists and side stretches every day, including the off-season, would do a lot towards preventing all these oblique strains.
“You can do side bends and sit-ups, but please don’t lose that butt…”
More yoga, less weighted baseballs and weightlifting?
Every year at spring training time we hear the same thing about the “scary” number of injuries happening all of sudden. Wait, so how often do players injure themselves during the 4-5 months when they aren’t playing baseball? Anyhow I’m sure everyone here knows more about sports conditioning than the trainers working for major league teams. So that’s kind of funny too.
“Well Cosmo says you’re fat…but I ain’t down with that.”
calm down, bill…
They would get hurt far less if they weren’t injured so much.
All these injuries, I feel like I’m going on the 60 day IL
Oblique is better than TJS or shoulder injury. Hopefully, it’s a minor strain.
Pepiot strained himself taking a dump.
Been there, unfortunately
Strained, not stained!
Even a minor oblique strain means at least a month so Pepiot is out until May at the earliest
Is Gonsolin even throwing? I heard that it’s the same knee injury Strahm had. Didn’t that require surgery and cost him a full year? Hope that is not the case for Gonsolin.
Is Miller fully recovered? Has he been pitching in spring training? If not, then the Dodgers are looking pretty thin in pitching depth now.
Gonsolin twisted his ankle while walking off the field and is expected back in late April. Bobby Miller says he feels perfect and has been working with trainers to strengthen his shoulder. It was only reported as soreness as far as I know. The Dodgers want him available for Sept/Oct.
The front office will have Grove and Andre Jackson fill in for any minor injuries that don’t require 60 day IL stays. Gavin Stone will be next up in the minors if they add to the 40. Miller will be ramped up by summer and might be an option if needed later in the year.
The Dodgers are the most conservative team with player injuries and probably have more pitching depth than most of the league. They’ll be fine.
Kind of weird having the link for the reporter.
Let me just say a “strong front four” that includes Syndegaard is overstating things. There’s nothing to yet indicate Thor is anything other than a mere shadow of his former self, and until there’s tangible in=season proof to the contrary, I think a “strong front three” is a better description.
That blistering 93 mph FB he was throwing in spring training is a good indication that what you are saying is on the money.
Strong front one is a better description. Kershaw is good for 120-130 innings. May pitched 50 innings last season so he is not good for even that many innings. The only one that should be is Urias.
May didn’t return to play until mid-July so it was impossible for him to pitch much more than 50 innings last season. So what’s your theory about him not being good for even that much this season?
BlueSkies is the eternal optimist; but that’s okay, I am totally like that for my team too.
Another cool theory.
All that matters really is how many innings he threw. Pitchers are not usually allowed to throw more than double their innings from the previous season. Especially young ones like May coming off TJ surgery. There is a reason all the projections have him around 80 IP this season.
Syndergaard threw 10 innings in 2021 and 134 innings in 2022. That’s why the projections aren’t meaningful.
BlueSkies IS optimistic.
LA has mostly BrownSkies, buddy.
Those projections are within 20% in terms of innings played on average. The longer the player history, the more accurate the projection systems are.
What we do know is that teams don’t allow most young pitchers with years of team control to go very much over double their previous season. Syndergaard may be able to go 200 if he stays healthy. No way that any smart GM allows May to go more than 100 or so. Friedman is very smart,
A good indication of how stretching him out did is to look at how Thor did for us in the 2nd half last season. His WHIP went from 1.197 to 1.326. His FIP went from 3.66 to 3.95. His BB% went up 62%. BAA went up 45 points and SLG went up 40 points. He did average 94.5 mph on his 4-seamer and 94.4 mph on his sinker for us, so at least he was only down 5 mph from when he was at his best. No one has ever accused the Angels staff of being smart when it comes to handling their pitching and Thor was not exception.
His velocity this season so far averaged 92.9 MPH for his 4-seamer and 93.0 for his sinker in yesterday’s game after averaging 92.9 mph in spring training. A drop of 6.7 mph from when he was at his best and an additional 1.6 mph from last season. Hardly Thor of old and a serious drop in velocity like that is a definite indication of things to come.
At the beaches its usually blue unless its Santa Ana winds. All the pollution laws on cars and industry has really lessened the number of brown sky days we have in SoCal. LA county had only 97 unhealthy days on the air quality index last year. Much better than back in the 1970s and 1980s when it was 200 or more days every year.
Today its good – iqair.com/us/usa/california/los-angeles
The 5 major projection systems going into last season were for Thor to throw 124-138 innings. They were pretty much on the money.
I agree that you can’t count on Thor until he shows that he’s better this season. I hear the argument for May, but that argument should be more based on returning to form rather than only pitching 50 innings and not thinking that he can only pitch that amount this season at best. Like I said in your past post, he’s thrown a lot more than that in the minors. He should not have any limits this season. Rustiness is the main argument. Kershaw will always have the injury potential so we’ll see. But he threw the ball well when not hurt last season.
The problem is that May has not thrown more than 56 innings since 2019. The Dodgers will be very careful with his innings thrown if they are smart and as long as they have the depth. Friedman is smart and the Dodgers have the arms in the minors to pick up the 15+ starts he won’t make this season. There is no reason to push May and possibly lose him.
Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Rosie Grier, and Lamar Lundy. Now that is a strong front four.
Fred Dryer was also a frikken animal. Still the only guy to get two safeties in one game. And tap Stepfanie Kramer as Hunter.
Az 2, LA 0.
Heh heh heh heh…
HEH HEH HEHEHE HEH!
Final: AZ 2, LA 8.
I won’t laugh because that would just be juvenile.
I thought AZ might kill the clock.
I thought wrong.
Wait! Are you calling me juvenile?
Heh heh heh heh…
I actually listen to the Snakes on radio here in Az. Former Dodgers great Tom Candiotti does the color commentary. I’ve learned to expect the Dbacks to implode. I am seldom disappointed.
Candiotti was pretty good. I would hardly call him a Dodger Great.
Borderline hall of famer.
Btw, did former Dodger great Charlie Hough leave in an a huff.
Too bad Charlie Hough never faced Aubrey Huff, eh?
The numerous reports of injured obliques strains all credibility.
Dbacks win tonight. BaZINGA.
Padres are beating the Rockies.
Dodgers are hearing footsteps.
MadBum finding his rhythm.
Like a bass drum… as in getting beaten like one.
Padres leading 4-0!
Footsteps!
Take back what you said about Thor.
TAKE IT BACK!
Tip of the cap to Thor.
Now let’s thump Dodger relievers.
Go ZONA!
C’mon Taylor! Late in the game, gotta guard that line!
BALLGAME! BALLGAME!
Wait…what? This isn’t the Dback’s thread? Oops.