Dodgers lefty Adam Kolarek cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City following last week’s DFA, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. The veteran lefty had the right to reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency, but he’s currently listed as active on the OKC Dodgers’ roster.
Kolarek, 34, was selected to the Majors earlier this month and appeared in just one game, retiring four of the five batters he faced (two via strikeout) and finished out that appearance without letting a run score. He’s also pitched to a tidy 2.18 ERA in 20 2/3 Triple-A frames this year, though he’s done with an unsightly 12-to-11 K/BB ratio in that time.
With that appearance, Kolarek has now seen big league action in each of the past seven seasons, suiting up for the Rays, A’s and Dodgers along the way. He carries a lifetime 3.73 ERA in 144 2/3 innings of work, and while his 15.6% strikeout rate is considerably worse than that of a league-average reliever, his 6.8% walk rate and especially his 63.8% ground-ball rate are outstanding. Kolarek, however, comes with the type of glaring platoon splits that have been magnified by MLB’s implementation of a three-batter minimum; in 335 career plate appearances, right-handed batters have posted a .311/.383/.490 batting line against Kolarek, as opposed to a putrid .190/.242/.259 slash by opposing lefties.
The Dodgers currently have four lefties in the big league bullpen (Caleb Ferguson, Alex Vesia, Victor Gonzalez, Bryan Hudson) and a fifth on the 40-man roster but down in Triple-A (Justin Bruihl). That doesn’t exactly leave the veteran Kolarek with a smooth path back to the Majors, but he’ll remain on hand as a depth option should the need arise.
Los Karens said, see ya!
Dodgers haven’t had any accountability with their bullpen. Vesia has a 7+ ERA all season and still gets opportunities. Kolarek might not be that good, but he certainly has the capability to have an ERA under 4 for a long stretch and help them
I would currently say that I trust Kolarek more than I do Vesia.
The man in the big office is the one without any accountability, unless “we have to do better” is being accountable.
He’s likely getting paid over $100k in Dodgers AAA and might not get that same AAA money elsewhere.
Someone told me the Dodgers are currently 3rd in the NL West. Is that true?
Glad to be in 3rd. Won 111 games last year and did nothing. This team needs to fight through some adversity and gain some toughness. Proud of the dbax. But not sure Arizona has enough pitching to last the season. Alex Vesia is a dumpster fire. He can’t adjust to the pitch clock. He was one of the reasons the clock was implemented.
Thanks for being a sport to my jerk comment. D-Backs don’t have enough pitching. Gallen, Kelly and maybe Henry at the end, but still two guys short. Plus an overloaded bullpen. Let’s see how they hold up, still a long season.
Kolarek is a LOOGY trying to pitch in the MLB which all but eliminated that role last year.
Kolarek purge.
Feel better now?
Feeling a lot less kolarek now, thank you.