Ian Thomas – Dodger Thoughts

On March 17, 2016

In Minor leagues, Transactions

Ross Stripling pitching on March 6.

By Jon Weisman

Pitching prospects Julio Urias, Jose De Leon and Ross Stripling are among seven players the Dodgers sent to minor-league camp this afternoon.

From the 40-man roster, the Dodgers optioned second baseman Micah Johnson and pitchers Yaisel Sierra, Ian Thomas and Stripling. Non-roster players who were reassigned include De Leon, Urias and catcher Jack Murphy.

Johnson has made no errors despite leading Dodger infielders in playing time so far with 66 defensive innings, and is a likely callup at some point during the regular season.

Urias and De Leon have made the most noise among the pitchers, combining for eight strikeouts in nine innings, though it was actually Stripling who has had the best month. The 26-year-old right-hander, nearly two years removed from Tommy John surgery, pitched two shutout innings with four strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 5-1 loss to Kansas City today, and has six innings with a 0.00 ERA in Cactus League play.

Dave Roberts ruled out Ross Stripling breaking camp as 5th starter, but added "He's impressed us" #DodgersST

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) March 17, 2016

None of the aforementioned pitchers, however, was destined to start the season in the Majors — least of all Sierra, the recent Cuban signee who has yet to appear in a game.

Still alive in the competition for the fifth spot in the Dodger starting rotation (behind Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood) are Brandon Beachy, Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee. The Dodgers have only two off days in April after the regular season starts.

Making his first appearance today since March 7, Wood pitched three innings, allowing a run on five baserunners with one strikeout.

“It felt good, it was good,” Wood said, according to MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom. “I had one goal and that was to be efficient, which was a little different from the last time out. I was happy I was able to do that.”

Another Dodger pitching highlight today came from Kenley Jansen, who struck out the side in his inning.

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Update: Hernandez to DL, Barnes activated, Bolsinger, Thomas, Peralta to join roster Tuesday

On August 31, 2015

Austin Barnes (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Austin Barnes, Mike Bolsinger, Ian Thomas and Joel Peralta are set to be the first additions the Dodgers make Tuesday when the active roster limit expands to 40 players, Don Mattingly confirmed to reporters today.

Barnes today was named to the all-Pacific Coast League team at catcher, honoring a season in which he has a .389 on-base percentage and .479 slugging percentage for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Barnes has nine homers, 12 steals (in 14 attempts), 35 walks and 36 strikeouts. As a Dodger this year, he is 4 for 15 with two walks.

Bolsinger is coming off seven innings of shutout ball with 11 strikeouts Saturday against El Paso. In 46 2/3 innings with Oklahoma City this season, he has a 2.31 ERA with 61 strikeouts, complimenting his 2.83 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 89 innings for the Dodgers.

Thomas finishes his minor-league season with a 4.19 ERA for three different teams, with 58 strikeouts in 58 innings. In the Majors this year, his ERA is 4.11 with Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Peralta, who went on the disabled list with a right neck strain August 11 for the second time this year, made three rehab appearances in the past week for Double-A Tulsa, retiring all nine batters he faced. He has a 5.40 ERA in 25 innings this season for the Dodgers.

Julio Urias, Corey Seager and Jharel Cotton, who are all in Triple-A tonight, will not join the Dodgers on Tuesday, and no statement has been made about if/when they might be added to the 40-man roster.

Update: Kiké Hernandez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, joining Howie Kendrick and Yasiel Puig. Barnes has been activated to take his roster spot.

Dodger minor league report No. 19: Peeking at September

On August 26, 2015

In Minor leagues

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By Jon Weisman

We got a jump on this week’s minor league report Tuesday by highlighting the performances of Julio Urias, Jharel Cotton and Corey Seager. And with a morning Dodger game at Cincinnati on Thursday — the last Dodger game east of the Rockies in the 2015 regular season — we’re going to get to the farm report itself a day early.

Already, conversation is hot and heavy about whom the Dodgers might call up when rosters expand September 1. The Dodgers have said they won’t call up players willy-nilly without a specific purpose, but that’s not to say this team doesn’t have several specific purposes to address.

Here are the candidates from the 40-man roster:

In case you missed it: On the off day

On July 27, 2015

In In case you missed it

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVBahpC9g-8]

By Jon Weisman

Good day, everyone. I’ve got a long buildup of links to share, and today’s off day provides the opportunity.

Ian Thomas steady in first Dodger start

On July 24, 2015

In Midgame

Getty Images

By Jon Weisman

Trite but true: The Dodgers’ 13th starting pitcher of the season brought good luck tonight.

Backed by six runs in the first three innings, Ian Thomas had a successful first Major League start for the Dodgers, leaving for a pinch-hitter in the top of the sixth with a 6-1 lead.

Thomas didn’t inspire confidence from the get-go tonight. He started with two balls against Curtis Granderson before getting a full-count groundout to third, then went 3-0 to Ruben Tejada before allowing a single to left.

But with a 72 mph curveball, Thomas induced an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play from Daniel Murphy, and from that moment on, whether it was coincidence or confidence, the 28-year-old rookie took charge.

Thomas allowed only two more baserunners over his next four innings, while striking out five. He finally conceded a run in the fifth inning on a bloop double and two groundouts, but by that time, he was firmly in control.

Though 32 of his 81 pitches were called balls, Thomas walked none, and of the 17 Mets that he faced, four hit the ball into the outfield.

Zack Greinke expected to pitch against Mets this weekend

On July 24, 2015

In Pregame

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Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Ian Thomas, P

By Jon Weisman

It’ll soon be back to work for Zack Greinke.

The new dad (though not this kind of new dad) is expected to be back in New York this weekend to start for the Dodgers either Saturday or Sunday, manager Don Mattingly told reporters today.

In other starting-pitching news for the Dodgers, Brett Anderson passed all his tests today to avoid the disabled list. Mattingly indicated that the Dodgers still might give Anderson extra rest for his left Achilles tendon and delay his next start until Tuesday.

Either way, assuming Greinke has no issues with returning to the Large Apple, the Dodgers would only need to call up at most one starter for this weekend’s games against New York. Speculation is strong that Zach Lee will be that pitcher.

If so, Lee would become the Dodgers’ 14th starting pitcher this year, after Ian Thomas becomes No. 13 tonight while making his first MLB start. Not since 1964 have the Dodgers used 13 starting pitchers, and not since 1952 have they used 14. Given the possibility of a trade before the season’s over, it seems likely that the 2015 Dodgers will use more starting pitchers than any team in franchise history except the World War II-era 1944 team, which used 19.

For a while today, it appeared that both scheduled starting pitchers would be scratched because of babies being born, but even though his wife reportedly went into labor, left-hander Jon Niese remains tonight’s scheduled starting pitcher for the Mets.

Alex Guerrero is making his first start for the Dodgers since July 10. Guerrero has reached base once in his past 18 plate appearances and hasn’t homered in 61 at-bats since his game-winning grand slam June 2 in Colorado. He has a .175 on-base percentage and .180 slugging percentage in that span.

Update: Kiké Hernandez has replaced Guerrero in the lineup. Guerrero was scratched because of back stiffness.

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.

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.

Pedro Baez returns from disabled list, Puig remains sidelined

On June 26, 2015

Pedro Baez struck out the side in his most recent outing, May 13 against Miami. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, RF
Alex Guerrero, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

The good news for the Dodgers is that after a six-week absence, righty reliever Pedro Baez has been activated from the disabled list.

Before suffering a right pectoral strain (while facing tonight’s Dodger opponent, the Miami Marlins), Baez had allowed 15 baserunners in 15 1/3 innings this season while striking out 22, with a 1.76 ERA and all 13 of his inherited runners stranded.

In his most recent 8 1/3 innings, from April 24 to May 13, Baez was unscored upon, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out 12 of the 30 batters he faced. He pitched three shutout innings in his three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Ian Thomas, called up this week without making a pitch, has been sent back to Oklahoma City, whose starter tonight is the rehabbing Brandon Beachy. Beachy is expected to throw about 60 pitches. Another teammate, Brandon League, is scheduled for back-to-back rehab appearances this weekend.

Meanwhile, Yasiel Puig is still on the bench to allow a torn callous on the palm of his left hand to heal.

A.J. Ellis, who has reached base in 14 of his past 32 plate appearances with a .452 on-base percentage, is starting for the second day in a row. Yasmani Grandal was destined to get a day off in this series, and the Dodgers have decided to give it to him tonight so that Ellis can start against Marlins rookie lefty Justin Nicolino, who pitched seven shutout innings in his MLB debut June 20 against Cincinnati.

Dodgers activate Joel Peralta

On June 22, 2015

Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXIV: Kershawmer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P
Note: A severe thunderstorm threat has created a potential weather delay for tonight’s game.

By Jon Weisman

Sidelined since April 26 by a shoulder ailment, Joel Peralta has been reinstated to the active roster by the Dodgers.

Peralta still carries a 0.00 ERA as a Dodger, having gone 5 2/3 shutout innings in April across seven games, allowing five baserunners while striking out four.

Los Angeles actually plans to make two roster additions today, and is optioning both Daniel Coulombe and Matt West back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

West ate three innings for the Dodgers this weekend against the Giants, allowing no runs on three baserunners while striking out two. Coulombe, who has now completed four separate stints with the Dodgers this season, also pitched three innings vs. San Francisco, allowing three runs on five baserunners with three strikeouts.

Update: Though travel delays prevented him from arriving for pregame activities, the Dodgers have recalled lefty pitcher Ian Thomas from Oklahoma City.

Thomas has a 5.30 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with 14 strikeouts for Oklahoma City, including his most recent outing of six innings with one run allowed on June 17. Thomas allowed four runs in three innings during his lone Dodger appearance this year, June 2 at Colorado.

Scott Van Slyke activated, Chris Hatcher placed on disabled list

On June 17, 2015

Rangers at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXIII: Kershawlicon Valley
Yasiel Puig, RF
Chris Heisey, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Scott Van Slyke has come off the disabled list and into the Dodger starting lineup tonight against Texas lefty Wandy Rodriguez, but he is taking the roster spot of a pitcher, not a position player.

Righty reliever Chris Hatcher has been placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, retroactive to June 15.

For the time being, that leaves the Dodgers with a season-low six pitchers in their bullpen: righties Kenley Jansen, Yimi Garcia, Juan Nicasio and Josh Ravin, and lefties J.P. Howell and Adam Liberatore.

Chris Hatcher said he felt a twinge in his oblique after his appearance on Sunday. Tried rest first. Got MRI this morning

— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) June 17, 2015

Liberatore is the only Dodger who has pitched in two games since Friday. The Dodgers have gotten a pair of eight-inning outings in that time, from Zack Greinke and Brett Anderson.

Van Slyke enters tonight’s game 6 for 21 with a double and four walks against southpaws this season (.756 OPS). Last year, Van Slyke had a 1.045 OPS in 130 plate appearances against left-handers.

Update: Don Mattingly told reporters today that the Dodgers would likely go back to a seven-man bullpen as soon as Thursday.

In case you missed it: Home Run Dopey

On June 3, 2015

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Dodgers at Rockies, 5:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Alex Guerrero, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

I strongly recommend you read Eric Stephen’s piece at True Blue L.A. today on the Dodger offense, which is starting to take on criticism for hitting too many home runs. Yeah, really.

At the heart of the problem is the increasing circulation of the misleading statistic that 49 percent of the Dodger offense has been produced by home runs (117 of the Dodgers’ 238 runs have been driven in by homers) — which conveniently ignores how the guys who scored ahead of the home runs get on base.

Example: Do you really want to be arguing that the three ninth-inning singles Tuesday had *nothing* to do with Alex Guerrero's grand slam?

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) June 3, 2015

I guess the fear is that somehow, if the Dodgers score too many runs on home runs, then they’ll be in trouble in October when the home runs don’t come so easily — as if somehow walks, hit-and-runs and stolen bases in the playoffs somehow are a piece of cake.

Let’s find other things to think about …

Tonight’s Dodger game has been — shocker, I know — delayed by rain. No cancellation is expected.
Hector Olivera is expected begin his professional career Thursday with Double-A Tulsa in a 5:05 Pacific game against Midland.
Yasiel Puig is expected to start his rehab assignment with Rancho Cucamonga in a 6:30 p.m. game at Lancaster. His last rehab assignment began three weeks ago but was cut short May 8.
Ian Thomas, the 26th man on the roster for Tuesday’s doubleheader, has been returned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
In the wake of Joc Pederson’s awesome power display Tuesday, Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs looks at Joc Pederson’s awesome power.
ESPN’s Home Run Tracker, updated through Tuesday, is a lot of fun to look at today.
Talk about batting 1.000 …

In 523 combined plate appearances, Pederson, Gonzalez and Guerrero have hit .297/.383/.617/1.000! with 61 walks, 33 doubles and 37 homers

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) June 3, 2015

Scott Van Slyke becomes third Dodger outfielder on DL

On June 2, 2015

Scott Van Slyke has a .423 on-base percentage against lefties this season, but both his home runs have come against righties. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers at Rockies, 12:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Chris Heisey, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Alex Guerrero, LF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
Austin Barnes, C
Juan Nicasio, P

By Jon Weisman

Scott Van Slyke, who has been ailing with back inflammation, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, with Chris Heisey returning from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place on the roster.

Van Slyke has only played once in the past eight days. He has been in a 4-for-36 slide with two walks and no extra-base hits, dating back to May 13.

He joins Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford on the disabled list, though Puig continued to progress toward a return by taking live batting practice today in Colorado, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

This will be a fish-or-cut-bait stint for the Dodgers with Heisey, who will now have the five years’ service time to refuse a minor-league assignment.

Ian Thomas, one of the pitchers acquired from Atlanta, in the Juan Uribe/Chris Withrow trade, has also been called up from Oklahoma City as the 26th man permissible for today’s doubleheader.

Thomas, who would be the first Ian in Dodger history if he gets into a game, had a 0.00 ERA in 12 2/3 innings with Triple-A Gwinnett this year, before giving up six runs in 2 1/3 innings during his only appearance with Oklahoma City.

For the Dodgers’ only doubleheader last year, the 26th man was Red Patterson, who started the second game at Minnesota and allowed one run on five baserunners in 4 2/3 innings. Patterson is currently rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery.

Unpacking the Uribe-Withrow-Callaspo-Thomas-Jaime-Stults trade (see, that’s a lot to unpack right there)

On May 27, 2015