Transactions – Page 14 – Dodger Thoughts

On July 24, 2015

https://twitter.com/Wilsysmommy/status/624673217119031296
Zack and Emily Greinke became proud parents of Bode Nicholas Greinke at 8:22 p.m. Thursday. Their son is listed on the family roster at 19 inches and six pounds, five ounces. The Dodgers send their happiest congratulations!

Bode is exactly six months younger than Cali Ann Kershaw, for you potential matchmakers out there.

— Jon Weisman

Dodgers recall Josh Ravin

On July 24, 2015

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Josh Ravin has been called up by the Dodgers for the third time, taking the roster spot temporarily vacated by expectant father Zack Greinke.

Ravin has a 2.33 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 38 strikeouts in 27 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City this year. With the Dodgers, he has allowed five runs on 11 hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out nine.

After pitching two shutout innings in the Dodgers’ 11-inning victory June 14 over San Diego (the day Joc Pederson made his catch at the wall of Justin Upton’s drive), Ravin allowed runs in three consecutive appearances. He last pitched for Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Greinke can be on the paternity list for a maximum of three days. Ian Thomas is starting today for the Dodgers, who haven’t announced their Saturday or Sunday starters.

Dodgers option Liberatore, recall Thomas, ponder pitching

On July 22, 2015

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Dodgers at Braves, 9:10 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Brett Anderson has avoided the disabled list for now and has an outside shot at taking his next turn in the Dodger starting rotation Sunday after leaving Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Atlanta in the third inning with irritation in the left Achilles’ tendon area.

Dodger manager Don Mattingly told reporters before today’s early game against Atlanta that Anderson is getting tests, but that he showed up to work today in better condition than Dodger vice president of medical services Stan Conte expected he would be. So an expected move to the disabled list for Anderson is on hold.

Anderson initially felt discomfort in the first inning during a grounder by Atlanta’s Andrelton Simmons, then decided enough was enough after attempting to field a Jonny Gomes swinging bunt, according to Carlos Collazo of MLB.com:

“(It) just kind of kept getting tired and more sore,” Anderson told Collazo. “I wasn’t able to push off the rubber like I normally was, and it was affecting my command. … Even with all the other (injuries), I’ve never taken myself out, but it was one of those things where I felt like if it got worse then it would make it worse in the long run.”

However, a bullpen that has thrown 11 1/3 innings in the past 40 hours does need some backup, so the Dodgers have optioned Adam Liberatore to Triple-A Oklahoma City and called up Ian Thomas.

Liberatore took a 1.29 ERA and .363 opponents’ OPS into June. Since then, however, those numbers have gone to 7.50 and .917. In July, nine of 19 batters have reached base against Liberatore, with no strikeouts.

This is Thomas’ fourth callup by the Dodgers this season, moving him within one of Daniel Coulombe’s team-leading five. In his most recent appearance, Thomas pitched two shutout innings July 7 against the Phillies, walking one and striking out two.

With Oklahoma City, Thomas had lowered his ERA to 3.16 on June 17, then allowed 10 runs in eight innings across two games (June 27-July 2). In his last two Triple-A appearances, he has pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings.

After Mike Bolsinger pitches today, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke will take the Dodgers’ Thursday-Friday starts against the Mets. The Dodgers haven’t announced who will take Saturday’s start in place of Brandon Beachy, and a potential replacement if Anderson can’t go Sunday is also undecided.

Eric Stults, Zach Lee and Joe Wieland are the listed Friday-Saturday-Sunday starting pitchers for Oklahoma City. Trevor Cahill is today’s Triple-A starter.

Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles wrote about the Dodger front office’s pursuit of pitching.

“I don’t know that we could ratchet up our search for starting pitching any more than we already are,” general manager Farhan Zaidi told Saxon.

On the bright side for the Dodgers, Yasmani Grandal is back in the lineup for the first time since taking a hard foul ball off the jaw Sunday, and Carl Crawford (who pinch-ran Tuesday) is making his first start since April 27. Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner have scheduled days off.

Turner, who hit his first homer of July on Tuesday and is 12 for 22 since July 12, but the Dodgers believe that he needs rest every few days to avoid wearing down.

Dodgers activate Carl Crawford, option Beachy

On July 21, 2015

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Dodgers at Braves, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

After nearly two months on the disabled list, Carl Crawford returns to active duty today for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles will have an extra position player for the next few games, having optioned right-hander Brandon Beachy to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Dodgers likely to make at least one more move to bring back a starting pitcher for Saturday in New York, with Zach Lee (who pitched six shutout innings for Oklahoma City on Monday before allowing two runs in the seventh) among the possibilities.

Crawford had a .260 on-base percentage and .408 slugging percentage in 50 plate appearances before his sight oblique strain April 27. Last year, from August 10 through the end of the 2014 regular season, Crawford had a .463 OBP and .606 slugging in his final 135 plate appearances.

He is expected to fill the role of a fourth outfielder at the outset.

To re-open a vacancy on the 40-man roster for Crawford, the Dodgers designated right-handed pitcher Preston Guilmet for assignment. Guilmet, who was claimed by the Dodgers on July 10, allowed one run in three innings of relief for Oklahoma City.

Catcher to the DL is Ellis, not Grandal — with Barnes starting tonight

On July 20, 2015

Austin Barnes and A.J. Ellis in the Dodger video room before Barnes’ MLB debut May 24. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Braves, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Brandon Beachy, P

By Jon Weisman

You might have seen Yasmani Grandal get clocked in the jaw by a foul ball Sunday, but he wasn’t the only Dodger catcher to come down wounded.

A.J. Ellis has right knee inflammation that has landed him on the 15-day disabled list.

It’s never a good time to lose a catcher, let alone two at once. And the injury to Ellis comes at a particularly unfortunate time, considering that the 34-year-old has had a .429 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage in 57 plate appearances since May 26.

Ellis has also thrown out six of 12 would-be basestealers in that time, with zero errors and one passed ball.

He was on the disabled list for 38 days last year because of surgery on his left knee in April, followed by a May trip to the disabled list after he sprained his ankle during the celebration of Josh Beckett’s no-hitter.

Dodger manager Don Mattingly told reporters today that Ellis could be ready to go before the week is out, but the Dodgers didn’t have the luxury of going with only one catcher while waiting. Ellis’ knee started getting tight on the plane ride to Atlanta and stiffened further in the middle of the night, according to Mattingly.

Grandal, of course, is six days removed from playing in the All-Star Game. He has a .399 OBP and .518 slugging percentage this season — .425/.594 since May 1. But he did not end up on the disabled list after all, and though he isn’t starting tonight, he is available, Mattingly said.

When Brandon Beachy makes his second MLB start of the season tonight, he’ll actually be throwing to the catcher who caught his last two minor-league rehab starts of 2015: Austin Barnes.

The 25-year-old Barnes, who went 1 for 5 with a walk while making his MLB debut with the Dodgers while Grandal was on the seven-day concussion disabled list, has a .385 OBP and .484 slugging percentage with Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 22 extra-base hits and 28 walks compared with 26 strikeouts.

Barnes was singled out for praise by another Dodger rejoining the team from Oklahoma City: Carl Crawford.

“I like him,” Crawford told Jacob Unruh of the Oklahoman. “He looked like a real good player. I think we’ll see him playing real good in the big leagues someday. They’ve got a lot of guys that can play, but he’s the guy that stood out the most to me.”

The expectation is that the Dodgers will activate Crawford from the 60-day disabled list Tuesday.

Zach Lee gets first MLB taste as 26th man

On July 18, 2015

In Postgame, Pregame, Transactions

Dodgers at Nationals, 1:05 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXVIII: Kershawt Hot American Summer
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Following their 5-3 loss in the completion of Friday’s suspended game, the Dodgers recalled former first-round draft choice Zach Lee as the special dispensation 26th man for today’s regularly scheduled game. It is Lee’s first official moment as a Major Leaguer.

Adrian Gonzalez hit home runs on different days of the calendar in the same game for the Dodgers, and Joc Pederson nearly had a game-winning three-run shot in the ninth inning, but it was all for naught.

Dodgers acquire reliever Grant Dayton from Marlins for Chris Reed

On July 15, 2015

By Jon Weisman

Chris Reed, the 2011 Dodger first-round draft choice who was designated for assignment July 10, has been traded to the Miami Marlins for left-handed pitcher Grant Dayton.

Dayton has a 2.83 ERA at Triple-A New Orleans, with 35 strikeouts in his 35 innings against only five walks. His WHIP is 0.86, which would lead the Pacific Coast League if he had enough innings to qualify.

The 27-year-old has always been a strikeout pitcher in the minors, but this is the first season in which he has harnessed his walks. In his minor-league career, he has a 1.16 WHIP and 3.7 strikeout-walk ratio. Left-handed batters have gone 6 for 33 (.182) against him this year.

Dayton, who is not on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, will be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He was originally drafted in the 11th round of the 2010 draft out of Auburn.

Matt West designated for assignment

On July 11, 2015

Almost time. #ITFDB pic.twitter.com/yxfTM2DiBs

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 12, 2015

Brewers at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Brandon Beachy, P

By Jon Weisman

To make room on the Dodgers’ 25-man and 40-man rosters for the activation of Brandon Beachy, the Dodgers optioned Josh Ravin to Triple-A Oklahoma City and designated Matt West for assignment.

West has a near-perfect ERA when you combine his Double-A and Dodger stints, though at Triple-A, his ERA was 7.20, allowing 30 baserunners in 20 innings with 14 strikeouts.

The Dodgers’ acquired West on May 4.

Dodgers claim Preston Guilmet, designate Chris Reed for assignment

On July 10, 2015

In Minor leagues, Transactions

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Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers have claimed right-handed reliever Preston Guilmet from Tampa Bay and optioned him to the minors, but the bigger news for prospect watchers is that to make room for him on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles has designated 2011 first-round draft choice Chris Reed for assignment.

Reed, who was the 16th player taken overall in the ’11 draft, was converted to relief this year after pitching as a starter from 2011-14. His combined totals in Double-A and Triple-A this year were a 5.97 ERA with 1.59 WHIP against 5.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

The 25-year-old left-hander from Cleveland High School in Reseda and Stanford reached his peak in the organization with Double-A Chattanooga in 2014 (3.22 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.6 K/9).

Guilmet, 27, has 21 innings of Major League experience with a 6.43 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 7.7 K/9. In Triple-A this year, he has a 1.84 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 8.6 K/9. The Dodgers are his third organization this year, after the Rays claimed him from the Blue Jays on May 13.

A ninth-round pick in the 2009 draft, Guilmet has earned league All-Star recognition at every level during his minor league career.

Ian Thomas replaces Eric Surkamp on Dodger roster

On July 7, 2015

Ian Thomas (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Southpaw pitcher Ian Thomas has been called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take the roster spot of Eric Surkamp, who was optioned there.

Thomas has pitched 39 1/3 innings this season in Triple A with a 4.81 ERA and 41 strikeouts against 54 baserunners. This is his third callup by the Dodgers, for whom he has made one appearance: three innings of four-run ball in the first game of the June 2 doubleheader at Colorado.

With Atlanta in 2015, Thomas had a 3.38 ERA in five relief appearances, allowing nine baserunners while striking out five in 5 1/3 innings.

In his Dodger debut Monday, Surkamp allowed a bunt single, walk, home run, single and line-drive double play to the first five batters he faced. After that, he stabilized somewhat, finishing with 3 1/3 innings, four runs, seven baserunners and four strikeouts.

Thomas and Surkamp each faced 16 batters in their lone relief appearances, the most by any Dodger reliever this year.

Eric Surkamp brought up by Dodgers, but Yimi Garcia will start tonight

On July 6, 2015

Eric Surkamp (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Eric Surkamp has a 3.77 ERA in Triple-A this season. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

Eric Surkamp, whom the Dodgers acquired May 23 from the White Sox for minor-leaguer Blake Smith, has been brought up from Triple-A Oklahoma City for tonight’s game for Los Angeles in place of the injured Carlos Frias.

Surkamp will not start, however. Instead, relief pitcher Yimi Garcia will make his first official MLB start, with the Dodgers possibly then playing a platoon switcheroo and bringing Surkamp in for early long relief. It’s possible the Dodgers could even go through tonight’s game without having the pitcher bat, giving them a psuedo-designated hitter.

Garcia has pitched a career-high two innings four times, most recently June 15 against Texas. His career high in pitches for one game is 33, set September 14 against San Diego. His last professional start came in 2011 with Rookie League Ogden.

The 24-year-old hasn’t pitched since July 1, except for a five-pitch outing Saturday. From June 7-27, he had a 0.79 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings, while stranding all five inherited runners. But in three outings since then, Garcia has allowed four runs on five hits in two innings.

Daniel Coulombe has been optioned to Oklahoma City for the sixth time this year, and Paco Rodriguez has moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day to make room for Surkamp on the 40-man roster.

For a variety of health and scheduling reasons, Scott Baker, Brandon Beachy, Zach Lee, Ian Thomas and Joe Wieland were among the other minor-league starting pitchers unavailable to make today’s start.

In 53 2/3 career MLB innings, Surkamp — who turns 28 in 10 days — has a 6.20 ERA with 33 strikeouts against 98 baserunners. He pitched 35 big-league games in relief in 2013, and his last MLB start was July 23, 2013. He has never pitched in Dodger Stadium.

His best Major League outing was his first, when he allowed one run in six innings on August 27, 2011 for the Giants against Houston, striking out four.

Over his past five starts with Oklahoma City, all in June, the lefty has had a 2.89 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 28 innings.

Surkamp pitched for the White Sox against the Dodgers on Opening Day of Cactus League play this year, allowing a run in two innings on two hits, including a Joc Pederson double.

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Carlos Frias placed on disabled list, Daniel Coulombe recalled for fifth time

On July 5, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pregame, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

As was suspected, Carlos Frias has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 1) with lower back tightness, and Daniel Coulombe has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the fifth time since May 4.

Frias said he expects to return shortly after All-Star break, will need one rehab start. Felt lower back discomfort last three starts.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2015

From May 30 to June 9, Frias averaged nearly seven innings over his three starts, with a 1.77 ERA, though he allowed 29 baserunners against nine strikeouts. In four starts since, he has barely averaged five innings, with a 5.66 ERA (36 baserunners/12 strikeouts).

Juan Nicasio, who made one spot start this year for the Dodgers, last pitched June 30, throwing 29 pitches that night. The Dodgers haven’t announced whether they will call up a pitcher to take Frias’ start Monday, but that seems to be likely rather than going with a bullpen game.

Mattingly said Brandon Beachy is not an option to start Monday. Also would prefer not to start Juan Nicasio

— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) July 5, 2015

With the Dodgers this year, Coulombe has appeared in four games and allowed runs all four times. He has pitched shutout ball in his last three outings at Oklahoma City, with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Coulombe’s 2015 itinerary:

March 24: Optioned to Oklahoma City
May 4: Recalled from Oklahoma City
May 6: Optioned to Oklahoma City
May 14: Recalled from Oklahoma City
May 15: Optioned to Oklahoma City
June 2: Recalled from Oklahoma City
June 5: Optioned to Oklahoma City
June 18: Recalled from Oklahoma City
June 22: Optioned to Oklahoma City
July 5: Recalled from Oklahoma City

Brandon League’s roller-coaster ride as a Dodger loops into the finish

On July 2, 2015

By Jon Weisman

After 35 months, Brandon League’s tenure as a Dodger appears to have come to an end.

Dodgers acquire two more minor leaguers, plus Trevor Cahill

On July 2, 2015