Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Dodgers Rumors

NL Notes: Wainwright, Syndergaard, Chisholm

By | at

The Cardinals put veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright on the 15-day injured list today, with manager Oli Marmol citing “a variety of limitations” to reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) regarding the reason for Wainwright’s placement on the shelf. Woo added that the official designation for Wainwright’s IL stint was shoulder inflammation, while MLB.com’s John Denton noted that Wainwright made clear that he intends to return before the end of the season.

Wainwright, 41, is currently in the midst of his twentieth season as a member of the Cardinals organization and his eighteenth pitching for the big league club. After posting the numbers of a solid middle of the rotation starter over the past few seasons, with a 3.57 ERA and 3.90 FIP in 635 1/3 innings since the start of the 2019 campaign, the wheels have fallen off for the veteran hurler in 2023. Through ten starts this season, Wainwright has posted a ghastly 7.45 ERA that’s 41% worse than league average by measure of ERA+ with a 5.47 FIP. His strikeout rate has dropped from 17.8% last season to a measly 10.7% figure this season, a figure that’s actually lower than his sky-high barrel rate of 10.9%.

With Wainwright headed to the IL, the Cardinals figure to look toward one of Steven Matz or Dakota Hudson to join the starting rotation in Wainwright’s stead. Matz has struggled to a 5.72 ERA in ten starts this season, but has shown signs of life since moving to the bullpen with an excellent 1.98 ERA in 13 2/3 innings of work as a multi-inning relief arm. Hudson, meanwhile, has spent most of the 2023 campaign in the minors with an unsightly 6.00 ERA in 48 Triple-A innings, but the righty impressed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen recently, a performance that could earn Hudson another look on the major league pitching staff.

More from the National League…

  • Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard could return in the near future, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the LA Times) that Syndergaard is scheduled to throw live batting practice later this week and that, if it goes well, he could advance to a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. Syndergaard struggled mightily to a 7.12 ERA with a 5.55 FIP across 12 starts prior to his placement on the injured list a month ago. Despite those ugly numbers, if Syndergaard has managed to get right during his time on the shelf, he could be an asset to a Dodgers rotation that recently saw Clayton Kershaw head to the IL and Dustin May’s season end with an impending elbow surgery.
  • Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. went on the injured list yesterday with a left oblique strain just a week after returning from a six week IL stint due to turf toe. Fortunately for Miami the young outfielder, Chisholm’s MRI results came back today and showed only a mild strain, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. That’s excellent news, as mild strains can often be resolved fairly quickly. Chisholm will have the upcoming All Star break to rest and rehab and while no timetable for his return has been announced, it’s possible the 25 year old could return to big league action shortly thereafter.

Dustin May To Undergo Season-Ending Flexor Tendon Surgery

By | at

Dodgers right-hander Dustin May will undergo surgery on his right elbow to repair the flexor tendon later this month, per a team announcement. The surgery will bring an end to May’s 2023 campaign. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic adds that May will also undergo a Tommy John revision for a Grade 2 UCL sprain, noting that the Dodgers hope May will be able to return midseason in 2024.

May initially went on the injured list back in May with a flexor pronator strain that offered an initial recovery timeline of just four to six weeks. That, of course, didn’t come to pass. LA placed May on the 60-day injured list less than a week later, a move that suggested the injury could be more significant than the club initially believed and pushed the earliest possible date for May’s return until after the All Star break. Now, the question of May’s return to action will be pushed to the 2024 campaign.

It’s a serious blow to the club’s rotation, as May posted an impressive 2.63 ERA (68% better than league average by ERA+) and a 3.27 FIP in 48 innings of work this season prior to his placement on the IL. May is far from the only arm in the club’s rotation picture who’s struggling with injuries or ineffectiveness, as well. Clayton Kershaw and Noah Syndergaard are both on the shelf at the moment, while Walker Buehler and Ryan Pepiot have yet to throw a pitch for the club during the 2023 regular season.

Meanwhile, Julio Urias is coming off a six week trip to the IL of his own and has struggled to a 4.94 ERA and 5.30 FIP in the 11 starts he’s made this season. Tony Gonsolin has mostly pitched well this season, with a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings, but has also spent time on the injured list and owns a 9.42 ERA across his last three starts. Youngsters Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, Michael Grove, and Gavin Stone have been tasked with picking up the rotation’s slack to mixed results; while Miller and Sheehan have largely proven successful, Grove and Stone haven’t done the same. Altogether, the quartet of prospects has posted a 6.01 ERA in 106 1/3 innings this season.

The Dodgers were already widely expected to pursue pitching upgrades ahead of the trade deadline on August 1, and today’s news should only increase the club’s urgency in that regard. It’s hard to say with certainty which players will be available, given the number of teams that have yet to commit to selling. That being said, Marcus Stroman and Drew Smyly of the Cubs, Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty of the Cardinals, and Lucas Giolito of the White Sox are among the names that have garnered the most speculation to this point in the season.

Of course, there are plenty of names that would bolster weak Dodgers pitching staff that sports a bullpen ERA of 4.48 (third worst in the NL) in addition to the aforementioned rotation struggles, including relief arms like Reynaldo Lopez of the White Sox and Scott Barlow of the Royals. Considering the club’s 47-37 record that puts them just two games back in the NL West and gives them possession of the second NL wild card spot, the Dodgers are well positioned to make impactful adds to their pitching staff over the next few weeks.

In the longer term, May’s injury leaves an additional question mark for the Dodgers as they look ahead to 2024. The club’s starting rotation is slated to lose Kershaw, Urias, and Syndergaard to free agency this offseason. Buehler (who figures to pitch his first full season back from Tommy John surgery next year) and Gonsolin seem poised to occupy two spots in the club’s starting group.

While it seems reasonable to expect at least one empty slot in the rotation to be dedicated to the club’s current crop of youngsters, that still leaves two vacancies for the club to fill in its rotation for Opening Day 2024, whether that be by way of re-signing one of their outgoing free agents, dipping into the rest of a deep free agent pitching class, or by acquiring an arm controlled beyond this season via trade. Of course, the Dodgers are widely expected to have interest in two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani when he hits the open market after the 2023 campaign comes to an end, but Ohtani has pitched exclusively as a member of a six-man rotation during his time in the majors, meaning his hypothetical addition wouldn’t change the club’s need for additional arms.

Dodgers Acquire Pat Valaika From Mariners

By | at

The Dodgers have acquired infielder Pat Valaika from the Mariners, per Alex Freedman, broadcaster for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. It’s unknown what the Mariners are getting in return but it’s possible it’s just a cash deal.

Valaika, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Mariners in April and has been in Triple-A this year. In 38 games at that level, he’s walked in 13.3% of his 143 plate appearances. However, he’s hit only four home runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, so his .240/.343/.405 slash line amounts to a wRC+ of just 77.

He hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2021 but has 374 games of major league experience with the Rockies and Orioles dating back to 2016. He hit .221/.264/.378 in those contests for a wRC+ of just 62, striking out in 27.2% of his trips to the plate and walking in 5.4% of them. He was able to provide defensive versatility though, having played all four infield positions, the outfield corners and even taking the mound for mop-up duty twice.

The Dodgers have been without infielder Gavin Lux all year after he tore the ACL in his right knee during Spring Training. More recently, utility player Chris Taylor landed on the injured list due to a bone bruise in his knee. That has pushed outfielder Mookie Betts into spending more time in the middle infield of late. Glove-first shortstop Miguel Rojas is still in the lineup pretty regularly but he’s hitting just .236/.276/.291 for a wRC+ of 56, below his own standards. Meanwhile, Miguel Vargas is hitting just .197/.301/.369 for an 85 wRC+ and Yonny Hernández is at .222/.273/.333, 62 wRC+.

It’s not the most inspiring part of the Dodgers’ roster and they have decided to add some depth by bringing aboard a veteran in Valaika. He’ll head to Oklahoma City and try to work his way back to the big leagues. If he succeeds, he still has an option year and could be sent back down without being exposed to waivers.

Dodgers Place Clayton Kershaw On Injured List

By | at

The Dodgers placed Clayton Kershaw on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 30, due to soreness in his throwing shoulder. L.A. also optioned reliever Victor González to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Righties Michael Grove and Gavin Stone have been recalled to take the active roster spots.

There’s no indication it’s a worrisome issue. Kershaw has felt the soreness for the past few days. The Dodgers held off until this evening to determine whether he’d be able to make his scheduled start tonight against Pittsburgh. That won’t happen, but Dodgers’ beat reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com) noted that Kershaw was on the field throwing long toss.

Dave Roberts also downplayed any concern. The Los Angeles manager told reporters the club was confident Kershaw would be eligible to jump back into the rotation coming out of next week’s All-Star Break (relayed by Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). Keeping Kershaw out of action through the Break avoids pushing his shoulder and also serves as a way to monitor his innings.

The three-time Cy Young award winner has made 22 starts in each of the last two seasons, coming in just under 130 frames in each. He’d already gotten up to 17 starts and 95 1/3 innings this year. While Kershaw is no longer capable of carrying league-high workloads as he did during his peak, he remains one of the sport’s most effective arms. Kershaw sports a 2.55 ERA and was selected to his tenth All-Star Game over the weekend. Obviously, he won’t participate in the Midsummer Classic, meaning he’ll be replaced on the National League roster.

Grove will get the start tonight against the Bucs. The righty has taken the ball nine times (seven starts) on the season. Over 37 innings, he has a 7.54 ERA and is allowing just under two homers per nine. Neither Grove nor Stone has filled in as hoped in depth roles this year, making the starting staff a potential deadline focus for the front office. Kershaw joins Dustin May, Noah Syndergaard, Ryan Pepiot and Walker Buehler (the latter two of whom haven’t pitched all season) on the injured list.

Jahmai Jones Opts Out Of Minors Deal With Dodgers

By | at

Infielder Jahmai Jones has opted out of minor league deal with the Dodgers and been released by the club, according to Oklahoma City Dodgers communications director Alex Freedman on Twitter.

Jones, 25, was a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport back in 2018, though he fell off prospect lists after struggling to a .176/.228/.216 slash line over his first 79 plate appearances at the big league level. Originally drafted by the Angels in the second round of the 2015 draft, Jones made a brief debut with the club during the shortened 2020 campaign before he was swapped to Baltimore in the trade that sent Alex Cobb to Anaheim. He struggled in a cup of coffee with the Orioles during 2021 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2022, a procedure that was shortly followed by the Orioles designating Jones for assignment.

Jones then latched on with the Dodgers on a two-year minor league deal in August, a move that allowed the young infielder to rehab with the club and gave LA a former top prospect who could serve as infield depth at the Triple-A level in 2023. Following his return to professional games, Jones posted excellent numbers in 62 games at the Triple-A level this season. He slashed .292/.427/.524 with a 17.5% walk rate against a 20.9% strikeout rate, production good for a well above average 134 wRC+ even in the heightened offensive environment of Triple-A’s Pacific Coast League.

Despite that performance from Jones and a need in the infield at various points this season, the Dodgers have opted to give youngsters like Miguel Vargas, Michael Busch, and Yonny Hernandez looks on the club’s roster rather than clear space on the 40-man roster for Jones. Given this, it’s hardly a surprise Jones decided to exercise his opt-out clause and test free agency.

Going forward, Jones seems likely to attract considerable interest given his strong 2023 numbers, youth, and former top prospect status. Jones has almost exclusively played second base to this point in the season, but also has experience at third base and in all three outfield spots throughout his minor league career, meaning he could serve as useful position player depth for virtually any club at the Triple-A level.

Dodgers Notes: Urias, Kershaw, Taylor

By | at

The Dodgers welcomed left-hander Julio Urias back from the 15-day injured list earlier this evening to start tonight’s game against the Royals. Urias has been on the shelf since late May with a hamstring strain and suffered a setback early last month as he neared a return. He now appears to be fully healthy, stepping back into the rotation with a 4.39 ERA and 5.30 FIP through ten starts this season. A free agent at season’s end, Urias’s performance will be of great importance not only to the Dodgers, but to Urias himself as the 27-year-old hurler looks poised to enter the open market as one of the top arms available.

Urias’s return couldn’t come at a better time, as Mike DiGiovanna of The LA Times notes that club ace Clayton Kershaw is dealing with inflammation in his shoulder following his start against the Rockies on Tuesday. Kershaw received a cortisone injection on Thursday and hopes to return to the mound Monday without missing a start, though comments from manager Dave Roberts indicate that may not come to pass. Roberts told reporters, including DiGiovanna, that Kershaw’s bullpen session went “just OK” and that Kershaw would likely require a trip to the injured list if he isn’t ready for Monday’s start. Should that situation come to pass, right-hander Michael Grove would likely fill in for Kershaw on Monday.

Any missed time for Kershaw, who sports a sterling 2.55 ERA and 3.53 FIP through 95 1/3 innings of work this season, would be a blow to the Dodgers, though the club is fortunate to have a variety of young hurlers on tap to cover innings as needed. Grove, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Gavin Stone have combined to start nearly a quarter of the club’s games so far in the 2020 campaign as each of Urias, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, and Dustin May have missed time this season.

Utility man Chris Taylor, on the other hand, has not been so easy for the club to fill in for. Taylor went on the injured list last weekend with a bone bruise that has kept him from taking the field since June 16th. With youngsters Michael Busch and Miguel Vargas both having struggled at the big league level this season, the club has been forced to get creative in covering for Taylor, using Mookie Betts in the infield more often while relying on depth options such as Johnny DeLuca and Yonny Hernandez. Unfortunately for LA, the club figures to be without Taylor for awhile yet, as Roberts tells reporters (including DiGiovanna) that the 32 year old won’t return to action until after the All Star break.

In 182 trips to the plate this season, Taylor has slashed .206/.275/.455 good for a 94 wRC+ that clocks in at just below league average. Still, that production has been valuable to the club thanks to Taylor’s ability to play all over the diamond; Taylor has logged time at center field, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field throughout the 2023 campaign, with most of his innings coming at the latter three positions.

Dodgers Activate Daniel Hudson, Designate Ricky Vanasco

By | at

The Dodgers reinstated reliever Daniel Hudson from the 60-day injured list, optioning righty Nick Robertson to Triple-A Oklahoma City. To create space on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles designated minor league pitcher Ricky Vanasco for assignment.

Hudson is back in the big leagues almost a year to the day after tearing the ACL in his left knee. The veteran righty was off to an incredible start last season, posting a 2.22 ERA while striking out almost 31% of opponents in 25 outings. His year was cut short when he stumbled attempting to field a dribbler back to the mound.

The Dodgers retained Hudson in September, guaranteeing him $6.5MM while tacking on a $7.3MM club option for the 2024 campaign. There was some hope he’d be ready for the start of the season, but he was delayed by residual knee soreness in Spring Training. He made five rookie ball appearances before reporting to Oklahoma City for three outings on a rehab stint, striking out five in 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Whenever he next takes the ball, he’ll be appearing in the majors for a 14th season.

Vanasco has been in the organization for a month. L.A. acquired him from the Rangers on June 1. He only made one Double-A appearance with his new club before being DFA. The 24-year-old spent the bulk of last year in High-A with Texas, posting a 4.48 ERA through 84 1/3 frames. The Dodgers will trade him or put him on waivers within the next week.

MLB Announces 2023 All-Star Starters

By | at

Major League Baseball announced the starting lineups for the 2023 All-Star Game this evening. This year’s All-Star Game will take place at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on July 11. The starting pitchers and reserves will be announced at a later date.

American League

National League

* Currently on injured list with sprained toe

Dodgers To Place Chris Taylor On IL

By | at

The Dodgers are placing utility man Chris Taylor on the IL with a bone bruise, according to manager Dave Roberts, as reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.  He notes that infielder Yonny Hernandez will take Taylor’s spot on the active roster.

Taylor last appeared in a game for the Dodgers on June 21st, so the move will be retroactive to that date.  Back on June 16th, Taylor started a game against the Giants at third base, but exited in the fourth inning due to knee pain.  He subsequently received injections of cortisone and platelet-rich plasma in the knee, but didn’t go beyond a pair of pinch-hitting appearances after that.

Prior to the injury, Taylor had made four consecutive starts at third base following Max Muncy’s hamstring strain.  Taylor, 32, has also logged a notable amount of innings at shortstop and left field this year.

After a five-year stretch of excellence from 2017-21 that saw Taylor accumulate 14.7 WAR for the Dodgers with a 116 wRC+ at the plate, he reached free agency.  The Dodgers moved quickly to re-sign him to a four-year contract in November of ’21, but he’s slipped to a 93 wRC+ from 2022 to present.  Taylor joins a Dodgers IL list that includes 15 other players at the moment.

Hernandez, 25, has 56 big league games on his resume.  Originally signed by the Rangers out of Venezuela, most of his Major League experience came with that club in 2021.  The D’Backs picked him up in an April 2022 trade, but lost him to Oakland in a November waiver claim that year.  When the A’s quickly designated Hernandez for assignment, the Dodgers grabbed him for cash considerations.  He had a brief appearance with the Dodgers in April of this year when Miguel Rojas hit the IL, but quickly lost his spot to Andre Jackson (who was shipped to the Pirates this afternoon).

Hernandez owns a .260/.407/.385 line in 47 Triple-A games this year, logging innings on the left side of the infield.

Pirates Acquire Andre Jackson

By | at

The Pirates and Dodgers have worked out a trade that will send right-hander Andre Jackson to Pittsburgh, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (via Twitter).  The Pirates have announced the trade, adding that Jackson has been optioned to Triple-A and that the Dodgers are getting cash considerations in return.  Mark Mathias has been designated for assignment to open up space on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster.

The Dodgers designated Jackson for assignment earlier this week to open up a 40-man roster spot for Ryan Brasier.  He’ll now change organizations for the first time in a pro career that began when the Dodgers selected Jackson in the 12th round of the 2017 draft.  The righty has appeared in each of the last three Major League seasons, with a total of 39 innings on his resume.

While Jackson had a 2.11 ERA over 21 1/3 innings in 2021-22, things haven’t gone as smoothly this year, as Jackson had a 6.62 ERA in 17 2/3 frames of work.  The long ball has been Jackson’s biggest nemesis, as after giving up just one home run in 2021-22, he has already allowed five homers this season.  It isn’t exactly a new problem for the right-hander, as he has trouble keeping the ball in the park over his three seasons at Triple-A (in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League).

Between the homers and an inflated 14.77% walk rate, Jackson has a 5.21 ERA in 129 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, with a 22.07% strikeout rate.  It isn’t the most promising set of numbers, yet as a pitcher capable of working as a traditional starter or long reliever, Jackson has some interesting value as at least a depth arm, particularly to a pitching-needy team like Pittsburgh.

With multiple relievers on the injured list, the Pirates will likely explore Jackson as a reliever first and foremost, or possibly as a bulk pitcher behind an opener if the Bucs get creative with their rotation.  Tomorrow’s off-day is the Pirates’ last free day until the All-Star break, and coming off a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, the Pirates might be looking for spot-start possibilities.

Pittsburgh acquired Mathias in a trade with the Rangers in March, and the utilityman has been shuttled back and forth several times between the majors and Triple-A.  Mathias has hit .231/.355/.269 over 62 plate appearances, playing mostly as a second baseman with a pair of other appearances in right field.  2023 is Mathias’ third Major League season, after he previously appeared in 16 games with the Brewers in 2020 and a combined 30 games with Milwaukee and Texas in 2022.  In between, Mathias spent the 2021 campaign recovering from shoulder surgery.

If Mathias clears waivers, he has the right to reject a possible outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis.  Because Mathias has been outrighted before in his career, he has the option of turning down another outright from the Bucs and instead can become a free agent.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top