Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
Brock Stewart, recently named the Dodgers’ top pitching prospect, has won the award from Minor League Baseball — the MiLBY — as its top starting pitcher. Stewart, whom we’ve chronicled throughout the year, was the subject of a new feature by Tyler Maun of MiLB.com.
— Jon Weisman
By Jon Weisman
In 2015, the combined total of big-league starts by Jose De León, Brock Stewart, Ross Stripling and Julio Urías — not to mention Kenta Maeda — was zero.
This year, the four traditional rookies amassed 38, with Maeda good for another 32. Nearly half the starts for the 2016 National League West champions came from brand new Major Leaguers, with the team going 40-30 (.571) in those games, compared with 51-41 (.554) in games started by veterans.
Just to clarify for the paranoid: Over the coming offseason, the Dodgers will scour the trade and free-agent markets (which includes midseason acquisition Rich Hill) for starting pitchers that might bolster the 2017 rotation.
At the same time, this year’s rookie quintet already puts Los Angeles a step closer to alleviating the reliance on quantity in recent seasons (16 starters in 2015, 15 in 2016).
By Jon Weisman
Scott Kazmir will follow Brett Anderson’s Thursday start against the Rockies by taking the mound Friday, Dave Roberts said today.
The left-handed Kazmir hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since August 22, when he allowed four runs and nine baserunners in a season-low 2 2/3 innings against the Reds (a game the Dodgers won, 18-9). Kazmir and Anderson both went on the disabled list the next day.
By Jon Weisman
Though it’s not as dramatic as it was in July and August, when seemingly every start was up for grabs, the Dodgers did have some small tweaks and tidbits to share this afternoon about their starting pitching.
Brock Stewart will make Saturday’s start at Arizona instead of previously announced Bud Norris, according to Dave Roberts, who said Stewart was getting the nod based on “the way he’s thrown” in his recent outings. Norris will remain available out of the bullpen.
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By Jon Weisman
The Dodgers are on a little streak of happy starting pitching, at least by 2016 standards. For the 14th time in their past 15 games, their opening hurler reached the five-inning checkpoint — not Koufaxian by any means, but the majority of the game nonetheless.
This is happening while the franchise currently employs 14 relievers — no, that’s no lie — on its active roster. So with an off day beckoning in a close game, Dave Roberts played himself some cards.
The Dodgers used six relievers to handle the sixth through eighth innings, before Kenley Jansen closed the ninth for a 3-1 victory and series sweep over Arizona.
Los Angeles fared far better than San Francisco, which employed eight relievers tonight at Colorado and still blew a 5-3 lead in the ninth, to fall a season-high five games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.
Following fellow freshmen Jose De Leon, Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling, right-hander Brock Stewart gave the Dodgers four consecutive victories by rookie starting pitchers, unprecedented in Dodger history.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Brock Stewart has been named the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and third baseman Edwin Rios is the franchise’s Minor League Player of the Year.
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By Jon Weisman
Three nailbiters later, the Dodgers are the team with their digits intact.
While the Giants were taking two out of three games from the Braves, the National League’s worst team, the Dodgers held serve against the Cubs, the league’s best team. An eighth-inning run — scored without the aid of a hit — gave the Dodgers a 1-0 victory today over Chicago.
Rookie pitcher Brock Stewart was far from the game at that point, but he deserved the most credit. In his first career start at Dodger Stadium, Stewart dazzled, striking out eight — including six batters in a row at one point — in five innings of shutout ball.
Stewart also had his first Major League hit in the third inning, meaning that in this series against the Cubs, all three Dodger starting pitchers singled.
By Jon Weisman
September 1, the date that active rosters can expand to as many as 40 players, has been in the Dodgers’ sightlines for some time — the seemingly perfect quirk in the schedule to serve a team that has depth in its pitching staff but not length.
Today, Dave Roberts told reporters that the Dodgers plan to activate Louis Coleman from the disabled list before Friday’s game (Thursday is actually an off day for Los Angeles, except for the Dodgers All-Access event) and also bring back reliever Casey Fien from the minors.
That would give the Dodgers a minimum of 14 pitchers, pending more possible additions as the month progresses. A recall of Luis Avilan and Josh Fields, who pitched recently for the Dodgers, would give them 16 arms. Brett Anderson, Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy and Josh Ravin are on the 15-day disabled list, and so with the flick of paperwork, the pitching staff could number as many as 20.
Hopes remain for the return from the 60-day disabled list of Clayton Kershaw to the starting rotation and Alex Wood to the bullpen, and then you possibly have 22 pitchers. (That seems like a lot.) In those cases, however, someone currently on the 40-man roster would have to be displaced.
That’s why, despite his strong finish at Triple-A Oklahoma City and highly regarded prospect status, Jose De Leon — who is not on the 40-man roster yet — might not see action for Los Angeles this year. It hasn’t been ruled out, but it’s predicated on the status of the aforementioned score of pitchers.
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By Jon Weisman
As expected, Carlos Ruiz is in the starting lineup for his Dodger debut tonight, with Shawn Zarraga being optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Zarraga, as you can see in the video above, did enjoy the thrill of being an official Major Leaguer, however briefly. He arrived Thursday via private jet, as Michael Clair notes at MLB.com’s Cut4.
As the newest big leaguer told MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick, “It was a 12-seater and it was just me and the pilot, but I got to sit next to him and that was cool.”
In addition, the Dodgers have recalled Brock Stewart from Triple-A. Stewart, who was optioned August 15 to make room for the activation of Casey Fien, threw five innings of shutout ball August 19 for Oklahoma City.
So, how are the Dodgers making room for Stewart on the roster this weekend? They have optioned Kenta Maeda — yes, that’s right — to the Rookie-level AZL Dodgers, whose season concludes on Sunday. That means he can be recalled immediately after that day, without a 10-day waiting period.
As Dave Roberts said today, the plan is that Julio Urías will start for the Dodgers on Saturday and Maeda will take the mound Monday in Colorado, leaving Sunday as TBD.
By Jon Weisman
After retiring only seven batters in the Dodgers’ 18-9 victory today at Cincinnati, Scott Kazmir is scheduled to see a doctor on Tuesday, though the initial report of an MRI, as Cody Pace of MLB.com described, has been revised.
“Scott is fighting some physical things with his body,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s doing what he can, but when your body doesn’t feel right, mechanically, it affects mechanics. He knows he wants to go out there and go deeper in a game. When you’ve got a 6-1 lead, he wants the decision, for himself, for the team. When you’re physically limited and you can’t execute, he’s frustrated.”
Kazmir is dealing with some stiffness in his neck and his back, something he said that he’s been dealing with “for years.” The problem with his neck in particular has messed with Kazmir’s mechanics, not allowing him to get his head toward the catcher properly and resulting in him flying open. …
… “No matter what happens, we’ve gotten this far,” Kazmir said. “I know how my body works. If we have some type of imaging, whatever happens, I’ll strengthen it up and I’ll continue to do what I do.”
Kazmir’s next start would theoretically be Saturday against the Cubs. Between now and then, about the only sure thing for the Dodgers is that Kenta Maeda will take the mound Tuesday against the Giants. Rich Hill remains on track to start Wednesday, and then the bigger question marks arise.
Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Casey Fien has been activated from the disabled list by the Dodgers, who optioned Brock Stewart to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room on the roster.
Fien went on the DL on July 19 with elbow tendonitis, following a stretch in which he allowed six runs (including four home runs) in 3 2/3 innings. Before that, Fien had a 1.96 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings as a Dodger.
Stewart allowed a run in three innings after relieving Brett Anderson in the second inning Sunday against Pittsburgh. It was Stewart’s first big-league relief appearance after two starts.
The Dodgers also released Zach Walters, who had been designated for assignment Sunday.
By Jon Weisman
As expected, Brandon McCarthy has been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Dodgers with right hip stiffness. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported on the likelihood of this Saturday.
Less expected is the news that reliever Josh Ravin will be joining McCarthy on the DL, because of right triceps soreness. Ravin walked two, threw a wild pitch and struck out one in 2/3 of an inning Saturday.
Those moves make room for the activation of Brett Anderson from the 60-day disabled list for today’s start, as well as the recall of Brock Stewart from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Left-handed reliever Grant Dayton will return to the Dodger bullpen, with Brock Stewart being optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Dayton retired six of seven batters July 22 at St. Louis on July 22 in his Major League debut, which took place during extra innings. Since then, he has allowed a run in four innings with Oklahoma City while striking out six.
Overall, in 36 1/3 Triple-A innings this year, the 28-year-old Dayton has a 0.83 WHIP and 63 strikeouts.
By Jon Weisman
A flurry of moves have been made by the Dodgers before tonight’s game in Colorado.
Louis Coleman (right shoulder fatigue) and Adam Liberatore (left elbow inflammation) have been placed on the disabled list. For Liberatore, the transaction is retroactive to July 30.
Joining the Dodgers from Triple-A Oklahoma City are pitchers Julio Urías and newly acquired Josh Fields. In addition, outfielder Andrew Toles has been optioned to Oklahoma City to make room for tonight’s starting pitcher, Brock Stewart.
Rich Hill today met reporters for the first time as a Dodger.
By Jon Weisman
Though newly acquired left-hander Rich Hill is eligible to come off the disabled list Thursday, he will likely make a rehab start before his Dodger debut, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
Hill threw a bullpen session today, and said his finger blister was much improved, according to Gurnick. He hasn’t recorded an out since July 7, when he struck out 10 in six innings for Oakland in a 3-1 victory over Houston.
The Dodgers are also giving an extra day of rest to Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir, who were originally scheduled to start Wednesday and Thursday at Colorado. Maeda will start Thursday, with Kazmir taking the mound Friday against Boston. Kazmir remained in Los Angeles rather than making the trip to Colorado.
Also in Los Angeles is Bud Norris, who left his Sunday start after two batters because of right lat soreness. Norris is receiving back treatment, and the hope is that he would start Saturday for the Dodgers, though nothing is definite.
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