Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Gavin Lux

Dodgers, Giants Interested In Kolten Wong

By | at

The Dodgers and Giants are among the teams looking into the possibility of a trade for Brewers second baseman Kolten Wong, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. The Mariners are also known to have checked in as part of their search for a left-handed hitting second baseman.

Wong is one of the winter’s likelier trade candidates. Milwaukee has a loaded arbitration class that has led them to explore ways to alleviate a payroll crunch. The Brewers waived reliever Brent Suter, whom they apparently weren’t looking to tender a contract with a projected $3.1MM salary. Milwaukee tendered a contract to corner outfielder Hunter Renfroe, but they subsequently dealt him to the Angels for a trio of pitchers and knocked a projected $11.2MM salary off the books.

It appears they’re planning a similar strategy with Wong. The Brewers opened the offseason with a decision on the 32-year-old infielder, as his free agent deal contained a $10MM club option or a $2MM buyout. Milwaukee exercised the option, but Rosenthal writes the Brewers are expected to deal Wong at some point this offseason.

Wong is coming off an atypical season. A two-time Gold Glove winner, he’s been one of the sport’s top defensive second basemen throughout his career. His track record at the plate has been more mixed, but he paired arguably his best offensive season and his worst showing with the glove in 2022. Wong hit 15 home runs and put up a .251/.339/.430 line through 497 plate appearances, numbers that checked in 16 percentage points above league average according to wRC+. Statcast pegged him as the game’s worst defensive second baseman, though, estimating he was seven runs below average. Wong committed 17 errors, tying a career high, and he had the worst speed metrics of his career. At his age, Wong’s best days as a defender could be behind him, although it’s worth noting he also didn’t seem fully healthy. He lost a couple weeks in June to a right calf strain and acknowledged after the season he played through leg injuries (via Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).

The Brewers aren’t going to move Wong solely for the purpose of salary relief. Had they been completely set on cutting costs, they could’ve declined his option (or placed him on waivers in hopes another team would claim him and get them off the hook for the buyout). Milwaukee didn’t do that, but as with Renfroe, they don’t seem motivated to retain Wong at his current salary. Rather, they’ve apparently made the determination he has trade value at that $10MM price point and are looking to capitalize on that while creating additional payroll flexibility.

If they do move Wong, the Brewers could hand second base over to former first-round pick Brice Turang. Wong himself suggested after the season that Turang’s presence could inspire Milwaukee to let him go, as the young hitter is coming off a strong season for Triple-A Nashville. Turang, a left-handed hitter, is coming off a .286/.360/.412 showing in 131 games for the Sounds. Prospect evaluators regard him highly as a defender, and he’s now on the 40-man roster after being added to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.

The Dodgers and Giants each have plenty of spending capacity. Both clubs are sure to take swings at top-of-the-market free agents, but Wong represents a solid fallback as each seeks to build out their infield. Los Angeles has seen Trea Turner hit free agency, while they declined a team option on Justin Turner. They’re possible suitors for any of this winter’s top four free agent shortstops — Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa — but Rosenthal suggests they could pursue a top free agent and a Wong trade.

The thinking in that scenario would be to rely on Wong and an open market acquisition up the middle while turning third base over to Gavin Lux. Lux has only played six MLB innings at third base, spending the bulk of his time in the middle infield. Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast have loved his work at second base but been mixed on his shortstop defense. Statcast ranked Lux 155th out of 163 qualified infielders in arm strength this year, meaning he’d probably be stretched at the hot corner. Los Angeles also has a top third base prospect, Miguel Vargas, ready for a big league look after a .304/.404/.511 showing in Triple-A.

San Francisco already has a left-handed hitting second base option in Tommy La Stella. He’s under contract for $11.5M in the final season of a three-year free agent deal that hasn’t worked as hoped. La Stella owns a .245/.297/.380 line as a Giant, seemingly putting his path to everyday reps in jeopardy. The Giants could also explore the top of the shortstop market, perhaps with an eye towards kicking any acquisition over to second base in deference to Brandon Crawford. They’ve been prominently mentioned as the Yankees’ top rival on Aaron Judge, though, and landing a big-ticket shortstop would probably be off the radar if their pursuit of Judge proves fruitful.

While the Brewers have been open to talks on Renfroe and Wong, there’s no indication they’re planning a broad teardown of the roster. Listening to offers on quality role players with escalating price tags is par for the course for a Milwaukee franchise that consistently works to thread the needle of remaining competitive with mid-tier payrolls. Dealing someone like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff or Willy Adames would be a far more impactful subtraction from the MLB roster, and it doesn’t appear GM Matt Arnold and his front office are eager to make a move of that kind.

Rosenthal unsurprisingly writes the Brewers are finding ample interest on Burnes, Woodruff and Adames but suggests they may be likelier to hold onto those players into the season and reevaluate their place in the standings closer to the trade deadline. All three players have two seasons of arbitration control remaining, and while it seems likely at least one member of that group will eventually be dealt, there’s no pressing concern for the Brewers to do so this offseason.

Dodgers Notes: Kershaw, Correa, Lux, Shortstop

By | at

The Dodgers have not yet determined whether they’ll make a qualifying offer to Clayton Kershaw, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said last night at the GM Meetings (Twitter thread via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Friedman emphasized that bringing Kershaw back “is a real priority” for the team, adding that “things just feel more right in the world when Kershaw is wearing a Dodgers uniform.” The team did not extend a qualifying offer to Kershaw last year, due largely out of respect for the veteran lefty, whom they didn’t want to force into a rushed decision.

Similar sentiments are at play in 2022, it seems, as Friedman again spoke Kershaw taking the time to talk with his wife to decide what’s best for their future. Common consensus last winter was that Kershaw would either return to the Dodgers (as he eventually did) or sign with the Rangers, who play their home games a short drive from Kershaw’s Texas home, which would thus afford him more time with his wife and four young children.

It’s a familiar situation for the Dodgers, and if last year’s process is any indication, it could take some time for things to play out. A Kershaw return would be a boon for a rotation that’ll be missing Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery) for all of the 2023 season and could see Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney depart as free agents. At present, the only locks for the Dodgers’ 2023 rotation are Julio Urias, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.

To that end, it’s not a surprise that Friedman described starting pitching as a “very” high priority for the Dodgers this winter (Twitter thread via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times). Friedman also touched on the team’s shortstop situation, noting that even if Trea Turner signs elsewhere, the team feels confident in Gavin Lux’s ability to take over the shortstop role on an everyday basis. Of course, it’s hardly a surprise to see any baseball operations leader giving a vote of confidence to an in-house option, and such comments shouldn’t necessarily be interpreted as a steadfast declaration that the Dodgers would be “out” on the likes of Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts or Dansby Swanson if Turner ultimately signs elsewhere after rejecting his qualifying offer.

It’s worth noting, to at least some extent, that The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote this morning that Dodgers officials harbor some concern as to how Correa in particular would be perceived by fans. It’s been five years since the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal, but fans have a long memory and still hold plenty of resentment for how that season played out. There are greater public relations implications with a Correa/Dodgers fit than with Correa and another club.

Adding my own two cents to the matter, it’d be particularly problematic if both Correa and Turner wind up with comparable price tags — as many expect — and Correa gets out to a poor start. Even setting performances aside, there’d be plenty of fan backlash at the notion of letting Turner, currently popular and productive in Los Angeles, leave in favor of Correa if the two indeed have comparable price tags. Plus, as Rosenthal alludes to, the Dodgers tend to shy away from such lengthy contractual commitments. Mookie Betts is a notable exception, but Freddie Freeman is the only other contract of at least six years given out by the Dodgers under Friedman; Correa and Turner both figure to command lengthier pacts.

As for Lux, the notion of him stepping up as the everyday shortstop isn’t necessarily far-fetched. The 24-year-old (25 in a few weeks) ranked as one of the game’s five best prospects heading into the 2020 season and, after pedestrian small-sample results in 2019-20, has elevated his level of play. Lux’s .242/.328/.364 slash in 2021 was about 10% worse than league average, by measure of wRC+, but he upped his production with a .276/.346/.399 output in 2022 (113 wRC+).

Lux was having a monster summer, hitting .308/.380/.462 over a span of more than 300 plate appearances, when he began experiencing back pain and received a cortisone shot. He missed about two weeks’ worth of games in September and, upon returning, hit just .154/.170/.192 in his final 54 plate appearances, which helped to drag down his season-long numbers. Still, there’s good reason to believe that a full, healthy season of Lux in 2023 could be a highly valuable player for the Dodgers at shortstop.

At this stage of the offseason, teams haven’t even yet been granted permission to speak with free agents from other clubs, so there’s no way to properly gauge just what trajectory the team might take. Nonetheless, it’s of some note to hear Friedman prioritize Kershaw (and starting pitching in general) and give a vote of confidence to Lux as a shortstop option. The Dodgers will surely be attached to all of the marquee shortstops to an extent this winter, but that’s as much a reflection on their deep pockets and “open to anything’ mentality as it is on their perceived need at that specific position.

Dodgers Place David Price On 15-Day Injured List

By | at

12:34PM: Price has been officially placed on the 15-day IL and Pepiot was officially recalled.

7:51AM: The Dodgers will place left-hander David Price on the 15-day injured list today, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) following last night’s game.  Right-hander Ryan Pepiot will be called up from Triple-A to take Price’s spot on the active roster, and Pepiot is scheduled to work as the bulk pitcher today behind opener Caleb Ferguson.

Price is dealing with inflammation in his left wrist, and received an MRI to fully explore an injury that Roberts said has been nagging Price for the entire season.  The injury isn’t considered overly serious, and Price is expected back before the regular season is over.  Since Price hasn’t pitched since August 29, his IL placement will be backdated a few days and he could be back by mid-September if he is able to return from the IL when first eligible.

Price has hinted that this could be his final season, and while the lefty is no longer an ace or even a starting pitcher, Price is still effective at age 37.  Over 38 1/3 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen, Price has a 2.58 ERA, 23.3% strikeout rate, and 5.0% walk rate.  He has been particularly effective in the second half of the season, with a 1.13 ERA over 16 frames since the All-Star break.

While Price doesn’t usually pitch in high-leverage situations, ending his career as a relief pitcher would provide a nice bookend to his first MLB season, when the Rays used Price as a key late-game weapon in 2008 and Price helped Tampa Bay reach the World Series.  The Dodgers are deep in pitching options, but presumably Price (if healthy) has done enough to merit inclusion on the team’s postseason roster, and to potentially cap off his career with another championship.

Once the Price move is official, the Dodgers will have 10 pitchers on the injured list, with some already known to be out for the season and others battling more minor injuries.  Since L.A. enjoys an 18-game lead in the NL West, the team has some flexibility in giving players time off to address nagging injuries and get fully healed for the postseason.

In other Dodgers injury news, Brusdar Graterol is hoping to play catch today or tomorrow as he recovers from right elbow inflammation.  Graterol told Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group and other reporters that his injury is indeed just inflammation, as revealed by a recent MRI.  Graterol was retroactively placed on the 15-day injured list on August 31, just over a week after he returned from missing nearly six weeks on another IL stint due to shoulder inflammation.

Plunkett also reported that Tony Gonsolin was doing some throwing in the outfield yesterday, which is a good sign given the concerning nature of the forearm strain that sent Gonsolin to the 15-day IL earlier this week.  The Dodgers were hopeful at the time that Gonsolin’s strain was relatively minor, and that his IL trip was mostly preventative.  Roberts said a few days ago that Gonsolin received good results on an MRI, and Gonsolin already throwing is a step towards the All-Star right-hander possibly being able to return in relatively short order.

Moving onto position players, Roberts told Plunkett and company that Gavin Lux will miss a few games after receiving a cortisone shot.  Lux has missed time over the last two weeks dealing with neck and upper-back soreness, and the hope is that the cortisone shot will help enough that Lux can avoid the injured list.

Lux has been the Dodgers’ primary second baseman this season, also getting a good chunk of time in left field and some fill-in work at shortstop.  The former top prospect has somewhat quietly had a breakout at the plate, hitting .293/.368/.428 with six homers and a league-best seven triples over 418 plate appearances, translating to a 127 wRC+ that is well above the league average.  Max Muncy’s resurgence over the last few weeks gives the Dodgers some cover at second base with Lux at less than 100 percent, but Los Angeles could definitely use Lux healthy for the postseason.

Juan Soto Talks Between Padres, Nationals Reportedly Gaining Momentum

By | at

10:33am: There’s growing momentum in talks between the Padres and Nationals, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com and Jim Bowden of the Athletic. No deal has yet been finalized, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post hears similarly that there’s “optimism” the Padres can pull off a deal.

7:41am: There is a “growing sense” that the Padres are the likeliest landing spot for not only Soto but also Josh Bell, tweets Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. There’s some momentum in those talks, he adds. Similarly, the Post’s Jesse Dougherty tweets that the Nationals are beginning to narrow the field.

San Diego, of course, already has Eric Hosmer installed at first base, but they’ve been trying for more than a year to unload the remainder of that contract. Speculatively speaking, if the Nats truly want to maximize the return on Soto (and perhaps Bell), they could be the ones to absorb the remaining three years and $39MM on Hosmer’s contract themselves. The trio of Hosmer, Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg would be a lot of underwater contracts for one team, of course, but the Nats have little else on the payroll in the immediate future.

7:12am: Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is now under 12 hours away, and the Juan Soto trade possibility that has captivated the entire sport and its fanbase remains unresolved. As of yesterday, the Soto auction was generally believed to be a three-team bidding war, with the Padres, Cardinals and Dodgers all reported to be heavily involved. That doesn’t preclude another team (or teams) from jumping in to make a late push, of course; it’d frankly rate as something of a surprise if that didn’t happen, in fact. Teams will miss out on other targets, priorities will pivot, and stances on “off limits” prospects will soften.

Up until this point, a sticking point for the Cardinals has been their unwillingness to include young outfielder Dylan Carlson and their very best prospects, Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets. The 23-year-old Carlson is known be of interest to the Nats as an immediate outfield plug-in, and as a former first-round pick and top-10 overall prospect (per Baseball America), that’s not surprising — even if he’s been more of a solid regular than a star to this point in his young career. The switch-hitting Carlson is batting .260/.334/.426 dating back to last season, and he’s cut down his strikeout rate considerably this season.

Carlson can be controlled another four years beyond the current season and is capable of handling all three outfield spots. There’s perhaps a sense that given his youth and pedigree, he has another gear that he’s not yet tapped into. Further clouding the Cardinals possibility, Jon Heyman of the New York Post suggests that Washington may not be as high on lefty Matthew Liberatore as others in the industry; The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote something similar a couple weeks back.

Turning to the Padres, the health of one of their own top young arms, southpaw MacKenzie Gore, is a potential complication. Gore has been shut down with with an elbow strain. He’s expected to avoid surgery, but the specter of an arm injury for a potential key pitcher in the deal has surely altered the Nats’ valuation. The Padres, meanwhile, are now over the luxury-tax threshold after their stunning addition of Josh Hader yesterday. They’ve reportedly been loath to cross that line for a second consecutive season. However, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale suggests that if it means acquiring both Hader and Soto, the Padres “won’t mind blowing completely past” the tax line.

Over in Los Angeles, the Dodgers have become increasingly optimistic about their chances over the past couple days, per Jack Harris of the L.A. Times. The Dodgers’ perennially deep farm system is rife with top prospects — they have seven of Baseball America’s top 100 farmhands at the moment — and they also possess controllable young big leaguers of potential interest. Both Harris and Heyman suggest infielder Gavin Lux (four more years of team control) and righty Dustin May (nearing return from Tommy John surgery, with three more years of control) as potential targets for Washington.

As of yesterday morning, the Yankees were reported to be a “long shot,” the Rangers weren’t said to be particularly aggressive, and Mariners president Jerry Dipoto had gone on record to suggest his team is unlikely to land Soto. Adding to that list of teams that inquired but seems unlikely to be a serious player, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Guardians looked into Soto but talks never gained traction. Washington was interested in top Cleveland pitching prospect Daniel Espino, but health was again a factor in talks, as he’s been out since April due to a knee injury.

Dodgers Activate Mookie Betts, Option Gavin Lux, Matt Beaty

By | at

The Dodgers activated Mookie Betts from the injured list and recalled Darien Nunez. In terms of the corresponding moves, Gavin Lux and Matt Beaty were optioned to Triple-A, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya (via Twitter).

These moves are at least in part due to yesterday’s marathon 16-inning game (though Betts, of course, would return no matter the circumstances). Nunez can provide a fresh arm to a busy bullpen. The southpaw has logged 7 1/3 innings with the Dodgers over six outings while being tagged for three home runs and eight runs total (seven earned). He’s been solid in the minors, however, with a 2.29 ERA in 39 1/3 innings.

More curious here are the demotions of Lux and Beaty. With the acquisition of Trea Turner, there simply aren’t many at-bats left for Lux and Beaty – not with Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Chris Taylor, and Max Muncy all expecting regular playing time as well. Both Lux and Beaty will benefit from consistent playing time in Triple-A. After all, Lux has had just one plate appearance in the past week; Beaty has been used regularly as a pinch-hitter, but he’s started just two games in August.

Dodgers Select Justin Bruihl, Place Garrett Cleavinger On IL

By | at

The Dodgers are placing Garrett Cleavinger on the IL with a right oblique strain, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Taking his place on the roster will be Justin Bruihl. The club had an open spot on the 40-man roster, meaning a corresponding move is not necessary.

Bruihl, an undrafted free agent out California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, is a 24-year-old lefty. He pitched 15 Double-A innings this year with an ERA of 1.20, earning himself a promotion to Triple-A. In 22 2/3 innings there, he has an ERA of 3.57. He has excellent strikeout and walk rates at both levels.

For Cleavinger, this is yet another bounce in a season full of them. He’s been optioned four times and this will be his second IL stint. In 18 MLB innings this year, he has an ERA of 3.o0, with a decent strikeout rate of 25%, but an elevated walk rate of 14.3%.

In other Dodgers news, Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times reports that Gavin Lux is about to begin a rehab assignment and that Corey Knebel is expected to be activated Tuesday. Lux has been out since mid-July with a hamstring injury. There might not be much room for him in the middle infield once he’s healthy, given that Corey Seager is back and has been joined by newly-acquired Trea Turner. In 313 plate appearances this year, Lux has a slash line of .227/.307/.349, for a wRC+ of 83.

The return of Knebel will be most welcome, since the Dodgers bullpen has been weathering a slew of injuries lately. The righty has only thrown six innings this year on account of a lat strain but can be a potent weapon when healthy. From 2015 to 2018, he threw 214 1/3 innings out of Milwaukee’s ’pen, with an ERA of 3.02 and a massive strikeout rate of 35%. But health has been the big issue in recent years, as he’s only thrown 19 1/3 innings since that time due to various injuries.

Dodgers Place Gavin Lux On Injured List

By | at

JULY 19: Los Angeles has placed Lux on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. It seems he could be in for something of a lengthy absence, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com) his recovery “could take some time.”

JULY 18: Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux left today’s 6-5 loss to the Rockies with a hamstring injury.  Lux immediately grabbed his left hamstring area while breaking out of the batter’s box on a ground ball in the ninth inning, and he was replaced at shortstop in the bottom half of the frame.  Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts described the injury to reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) as a “cramp, mild strain-ish” type of problem, and Lux will likely miss at least a few games while team trainers and doctors perform tests.

Should the injured list be required for Lux, it will create another hole in a Dodgers roster that hasn’t really been entirely healthy at any point this season.  Pitching injuries have been the larger issue for the defending World Series champions, but several notable position players have missed time, including Corey Seager’s ongoing absence due to a broken hand.  (Lux himself had a minimal 10-game IL stint due to wrist soreness back in April.)

Lux began the season as the Dodgers’ regular second baseman, but took over as the primary shortstop when Seager was sidelined.  Seager is playing simulated games and might be pretty close to returning, but until he actually does get back, Chris Taylor will likely be the top option at shortstop if Lux is also out.

One of baseball’s top prospects during his time in the L.A. farm system, Lux has yet to really deliver on that high potential, though he has played only 124 big league games from 2019-21.  Lux posted a .655 OPS over 151 PA in his first two seasons and appeared in only one game during the Dodgers’ postseason run last fall.  Coming into this season with a starting gig, Lux has hit .227/.307/.349 with six home runs over 313 plate appearances.  There is some element of bad luck at play, considering Lux’s .294 wOBA is well below his .320 xwOBA, but even that latter statistic is below average.

Corey Seager Out At Least Four Weeks, Will Not Require Surgery On Broken Hand

By | at

MAY 16, 2:07 pm: Fortunately, Seager will not require surgery, Roberts announced this afternoon (via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). His specific timetable for a potential return remains unclear, although he will miss at least a month, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. In the interim, Gavin Lux will be Los Angeles’ primary shortstop. Seager fractured the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, Roberts said (via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). The Dodgers are recalling catcher Keibert Ruiz to take his place on the active roster.

MAY 16, 1:21 am: X-rays revealed a fractured right hand for Seager, manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Juan Toribio and other reporters post-game.  Seager will be placed on the 10-day IL prior to Sunday’s game, and the timetable for his return isn’t yet clear.

MAY 15: Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager left tonight’s game in the fifth inning after being hit in the right hand/wrist area by a pitch from Marlins southpaw Ross Detwiler.  Seager was immediately removed and didn’t take first base, as Sheldon Neuse replaced Seager as a pinch-runner.

There isn’t yet any word on the severity of Seager’s injury, though even a day-to-day type of absence wouldn’t be good news for a Dodger team that already has plenty of key personnel on the injured list.  Just today, AJ Pollock joined such names as Cody Bellinger, Tony Gonsolin, David Price, Brusdar Graterol, Scott Alexander, and Zach McKinstry on the short-term IL, while Dustin May and Edwin Rios have suffered season-ending injuries.  Losing Seager would be a particularly tough blow considering both his status as one of the game’s best shortstops, and because the Dodgers’ depth at the position is already thinned by the absence of utilityman McKinstry.

In the event of a lengthy absence for Seager, Chris Taylor or Gavin Lux would likely take the reins at shortstop, though moving Taylor out of center field could require Mookie Betts to shift over to center and thus open up a space in right field.  A cleaner move would be Lux to shortstop, Max Muncy to second base and an Albert Pujols/Yoshi Tsutsugo combination at first base, though Lux has struggled badly at the plate this season.  Fortunately for Los Angeles, Bellinger and McKinstry are both close to beginning rehab assignments, though that wouldn’t help in the short term if Seager is out.

Seager is hitting .265/.361/.422 with four home runs over his first 169 plate appearances of the season.  Though his 121 wRC+ is down from the 152 wRC+ posted over 232 PA in 2020, a Seager who stays healthy and productive throughout the season will be well-positioned to be one of the top free agents of the 2021-22 offseason.

Dodgers Make Several Roster Moves

By | at

The Dodgers have activated second baseman Gavin Lux and right-hander Dennis Santana from the injured list, placed left-hander David Price on the 10-day IL with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, and recalled righty Mitch White, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The club also optioned lefty Garrett Cleavinger and outfielder DJ Peters.

The highly touted Lux, 22, began the season as the Dodgers’ starter at the keystone, but right wrist soreness has kept him out since April 14. Before that, Lux came out of the gates slowly with a .220/.244/.317 line and no home runs in 45 plate appearances. The Dodgers utilized Max Muncy, the now-injured Zach McKinstry, Sheldon Neuse and Chris Taylor at second while Lux was out.

Price returned this season after opting out of the 2020 campaign over COVID-19 concerns, though the former American League Cy Young winner has struggled in a full-time role as a reliever. The 35-year-old, who entered the season with 311 starts in 321 appearances, has pitched seven times out of the Dodgers’ bullpen and yielded seven runs (six earned) on a whopping 14 hits with 11 strikeouts against four walks in 9 2/3 innings. Price is going to miss at least “a few weeks,” according to manager Dave Roberts.

Dodgers Injury Notes: Knebel, Kelly, McKinstry, Gonsolin, Lux

By | at

Dodgers reliever Corey Knebel left last night’s game against the Padres with an apparent arm injury and he’s in for a lengthy absence. Knebel is going on the injured list with a right lat strain, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). He won’t undergo surgery but will be out for a few months, with Roberts saying the organization hopes Knebel will be able to “pitch for us again this year” (Plunkett link).

Given that timetable, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Dodgers eventually transfer Knebel to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot. It’s a disappointing development for the righty, who missed the entire 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and spent some time on the IL last year due to a hamstring strain. Acquired from Milwaukee over the winter, Knebel has pitched six innings over eight appearances for the Dodgers this year, allowing three runs on three hits and as many walks with nine strikeouts.

Roberts also provided updates on a host of other injured players. Reliever Joe Kelly (shoulder soreness) is expected back in early-mid May, while utilityman Zach McKinstry will need more than the 10-day minimum IL stint to recover from his recent oblique strain (via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). Right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who is recovering from shoulder inflammation, began a long toss program but is not yet ready to work off the mound (per Plunkett). The news wasn’t all bad though, as second baseman Gavin Lux is expected to return from the IL when first eligible on Monday. Lux has been sidelined by right wrist soreness.

With Knebel and Dennis Santana (side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine) going on the injured list, the Dodgers are recalling infielder Matt Beaty and lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger (Toribio link). Cleavinger, acquired from the Phillies in a three-team deal over the winter, will be making his Dodger debut if he gets into a game.

Show all

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

hide arrows scroll to top