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Poll: The Dodgers’ Rotation

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The Dodgers have long been expected to utilize a six-man rotation this year in order to accommodate Shohei Ohtani, and have accordingly assembled a deep group of arms. Last week, however, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman revealed that, with Ohtani not expected to debut as a pitcher until sometime in May, the Dodgers intend to open the season with a five-man rotation. Four of those spots will go to Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki. That fifth spot appears to be up for grabs, with the two leading candidates being a pair of arms that missed the 2024 season entirely due to injury: right-handers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin.

The duo have been on very similar tracks for much of their respective careers. Drafted in the third and ninth rounds of the 2016 draft respectively, May and Gonsolin were both top-100 prospects for the Dodgers who made their big league debuts in 2019 and looked good in their brief cups of coffee. May posted a 3.63 ERA in 34 2/3 innings, while Gonsolin posted a 2.93 ERA in 40 innings. Both took on larger roles in 2020 and finished top-five in NL Rookie of the Year voting that year.

It was at the outset of the 2021 season where the pair’s careers begin to diverge. May has routinely been brilliant when healthy, but “when healthy” is a key caveat. May has started just 20 games and thrown 101 innings total over the past four seasons. That’s mostly been due to multiple elbow surgeries, and just when his arm looked to be healthy last summer, he suffered an esophageal tear that required surgery and sidelined him for 2024.

Gonsolin has been healthy long enough to build up a more sustained track record, but that playing time has come with ups and downs. In 2021, the righty posted a strong 3.23 ERA but a 4.54 FIP due in no small part to a bloated 14.2% walk rate. Gonsolin was sensational in 2022, logging a 2.14 ERA in 24 starts (130 1/3 innings) as he cut his walk rate by more than half and struck out a solid 23.9% of opponents faced. The success was short-lived. Gonsolin struggled badly across 20 starts in 2023 before undergoing his own Tommy John surgery, which wiped out his entire 2024 season.

May brings excellent rate stats to the table, with a 3.21 ERA (132 ERA+), a 3.59 FIP, and a 24.1% strikeout rate over that aforementioned stretch of 2020 starts between surgeries. He’s also just 27 years old. Between that youth and his limited on-field reps to this point in his career, it’s not outlandish to suggest that May could have a higher ceiling than even his strong career numbers suggest. Gonsolin has more experience pitching in big league games. The 31-year-old’s phenomenal 2022 season is also by far the best work either player has put forward in a given season. May has five-plus seasons of MLB service and can’t be optioned without his consent. Gonsolin will reach that same threshold 20 days into the season but for now has one minor league option left.

There are other candidates for the fifth spot, but none come close to matching the experience of May and Gonsolin. Bobby Miller is a former top prospect who delivered a strong 2023 season, but he was one of the worst pitchers in baseball last year. Landon Knack, Ben Casparius, and Justin Wrobleski are all healthy and available as depth starters after each debuted in 2024. Of the three, only Knack has substantial big league playing time under his belt. The 27-year-old’s 3.65 ERA in 69 innings last year could make him the next man up behind May and Gonsolin, but he still appears to be further down the depth chart than the two returning righties.

It’s worth reminding that franchise legend Clayton Kershaw is slated to start the season on the 60-day IL. Younger arms like Emmet Sheehan, Kyle Hurt and River Ryan are all recovering from Tommy John surgery performed during the 2024 season. Gavin Stone had shoulder surgery in October and isn’t likely to pitch this year. Fellow righty Nick Frasso is a well-regarded arm but isn’t likely to be in the Opening Day rotation mix after missing the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery performed last offseason. That length list of arms is a testament to the organization’s depth and also a good reminder that whoever opens the season as the No. 5 starter is hardly a lock to hold a rotation spot all season. The Dodgers will probably cycle through 12-plus starters this season.

Be that as it may, there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the Opening Day staff. Assuming everyone remains healthy, how do MLBTR readers think the Dodgers’ fifth starter battle will play out? Will the club go for May’s upside and relative youth? Will they instead turn to Gonsolin’s more substantial MLB track record in hopes he can replicate his All-Star 2022 campaign? Will one of the less-experienced arms break out and claim the role? Have your say in the poll below:

Gavin Stone “Very Unlikely” To Return This Year

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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced to reporters that right-hander Gavin Stone is still experiencing shoulder soreness and is “very unlikely” to return this year. Alden González of ESPN was among those to relay the news on X.

Stone landed on the IL September 6 due to right shoulder inflammation. The plan was for him to be shut down for about ten days, at which point the club would decide on a path forward based on how he felt. It seems that not much progress has been made and so the path back to the club has narrowed.

Prior to this injury, Stone was the most reliable member of a rotation that had suffered a great number of injuries. He tossed 140 1/3 innings over 25 starts, with both of those figures still leading the team. The only player close to him in those categories is Tyler Glasnow, who is also unlikely to come back this year, so Stone will finish 2024 as the team leader in those two categories. He had a 3.53 earned run average in that time as well as a 20% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and 44.2% ground ball rate.

The health of the Dodger rotation, or lack thereof, has been an ongoing story throughout the year. Dustin May, River Ryan and Emmet Sheehan each required season-ending surgeries earlier in the campaign. As mentioned, Stone and Glasnow are both on the IL and unlikely to be healthy before the season’s done. Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw are also on the IL but still could contribute in the coming weeks. More on them below.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto also missed about three months due to a rotator cuff strain, though he is now back on the active roster. That’s a bit of positive news amid all the negative stuff, though there are questions there as well. Yamamoto returned before being fully stretched out and has only thrown four innings in each of his two outings since coming back. The kid gloves are apparently going to stay on, as Roberts said the club will continue to give him more than four days of rest between starts for the rest of the season and maybe into the playoffs as well, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times on X.

Around Yamamoto, the rest of the rotation has recently consisted of Jack Flaherty, Landon Knack, Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller. Miller has an 8.52 ERA on the year and is being optioned today, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic on X, Miller’s second optional assignment of the year. Buehler has also struggled, with a 5.54 ERA on the year. Knack has a strong 3.70 ERA but in just 56 career innings at the major league level. Flaherty is having a great year but there are some health concerns with him as well, as he had back problems with the Tigers that reportedly scuttled a deal to the Yankees before the Dodgers acquired him instead.

Whether the Dodgers will replace Miller in the rotation or simply use bullpen games to finish the year remains to be seen. They are off on Monday, which could perhaps help them get by with just four starters, though Yamamoto’s restrictions complicate things. The club is a virtual lock for the postseason but the remaining games on the schedule are still meaningful. They are only 3.5 games up on the Padres in the West and only two games ahead of the Brewers for the second bye through the Wild Card round, with the Phillies currently holding the top spot.

Even if the Dodgers are able to cruise into a first-round bye, building a playoff rotation is going to be a concern. Perhaps Gonsolin or Kershaw could help out, depending on how things develop over the next few weeks. Kershaw has been on the IL since late May due to a bone spur in his left big toe. He threw an 84-pitch bullpen session today, per Gonzalez on X, which is perhaps a good sign that he could still be a factor soon but the next steps aren’t clear.

As for Gonsolin, he underwent Tommy John surgery in September of last year and is currently on a rehab assignment. His first outing lasted two innings and the second went 2 2/3. Per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Roberts says Gonsolin will try to get through four innings in his next outing and then the club will talk about where to go from there. “It’s still a longer shot,” Robert said. “But I’m really impressed that Tony has taken this really seriously as a potential opportunity. He’s gonna take another one, and we’ll see from there.”

There are lots of moving parts and the club still has a chance to have a solid rotation consisting of Yamamoto and Flaherty with perhaps some combination of Knack, Buehler, Kershaw or Gonsolin in behind the front two. There even seems to be some non-zero chance that Shohei Ohtani takes a mound before the season is done, though that still seems like a real long shot.

The club and its fans know very well that a flimsy rotation can sink an otherwise strong season. Just last year, the Dodgers won 100 games but were quickly swept out of the playoffs by the Diamondbacks when injuries reduced their postseason rotation to Miller, Lance Lynn and an obviously-injured Kershaw. That will make their swirling rotation a key storyline in the coming weeks.

Dodgers Select Zach Logue

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The Dodgers announced that they have reinstated right-hander Joe Kelly from the 15-day injured list and selected the contract of left-hander Zach Logue. Righties Bobby Miller and Michael Grove were optioned in corresponding moves. Righty Tyler Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot for Logue.

Logue just signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last week. He had previously been with Atlanta but elected free agency after being designated for assignment. Since he signed after the end of August, Logue isn’t eligible to join the Dodgers for the postseason, but he’ll give them a fresh arm in the bullpen as they look to get through the regular season.

Despite briefly being on Atlanta’s roster, Logue hasn’t yet pitched in the big leagues this season, but his results on the farm have been good. He has made 25 appearances in the minors, 12 of those being starts. In his 97 1/3 innings, he has allowed 2.59 earned runs per nine. He has struck out 23.2% of batters faced while limiting walks to a 7.1% walk rate.

Since signing with the Dodgers, he made one start at Triple-A, lasting three innings. Perhaps he will provide the club with a multi-inning arm out of the bullpen, though Miller’s option also creates a hole in the rotation. The club also gives Yoshinobu Yamamoto more than four days between starts, meaning occasional bullpen games or spot starts are necessary.

Whatever shape it comes in, Logue’s contributions with the Dodgers should allow him to add to a spotty major league résumé. Once a notable prospect with the Jays, he went to the Athletics in the March 2022 trade that sent Matt Chapman north of the border. But Logue put up a 6.79 ERA with the A’s in 2022 and went to the Tigers on waivers. With Detroit, he put up a 7.36 ERA in 2023 and lost his roster spot.

That gives him a career ERA of 6.88 in 68 major league innings but his minor league results have been more encouraging this year. If he manages to hold onto a 40-man roster spot through the winter, he has less than a year of service time and can be retained well into the future but he’ll be out of options next year.

As for Glasnow, he landed on the 15-day IL August 13 due to right elbow tendinitis. It was revealed a few days ago that he has a sprain and is unlikely to return to the team this year. This transfer doesn’t close the door to a return in the playoffs. The 60-day count is retroactive to his initial IL placement, so he could technically be reinstated in the middle of October if he can return to health.

Dodgers To Select Ben Casparius

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The Dodgers will promote right-hander Ben Casparius before tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The team will be able to open a 40-man spot for Casparius by transferring River Ryan to the 60-day IL, but it is not yet clear how they will find room for him on the 26-man roster.

Casparius, 25, joined the Dodgers organization as a fifth-round selection in the 2021 draft. He has been promoted mid-season all four years of his career thus far, going from the Complex League to Single-A in 2021, Single-A to High-A in ’22, High-A to Double-A in ’23, and finally, Double-A to Triple-A in ’24.

In 2022 and ’23, Casparius struggled to adjust following his promotions, but this year, he hit the ground running with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club. After putting up a 3.32 ERA and 3.15 FIP in five starts at Double-A, he has a 3.54 ERA and 4.34 FIP in 13 starts at Triple-A. His strikeout rate briefly plummeted in Oklahoma City, but after a month-long stint on the IL, he came back firing on all cylinders. Casparius has a 3.44 ERA, 2.56 FIP, and 35.5% strikeout rate over his last five starts. He was especially dominant in his latest outing against the Round Rock Express on Sunday, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Baseball America ranks Casparius as the No. 20 prospect in the Dodgers system, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 23. FanGraphs isn’t quite as high on the righty, ranking him at No. 39. While he is currently working as a starting pitcher, all three sources agree his future most likely lies in the bullpen, presumably as a multi-inning, middle reliever. To that point, Casparius will join the Dodgers bullpen – not the rotation – during his first stint with the big league club (per Ardaya).

There is no word yet on who Casparius will replace on the active roster. One might have thought the Dodgers would option Bobby Miller back to Triple-A following his rough outing tonight (4 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 HR, 1 K), but Dave Roberts suggested otherwise after the game. The manager told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register), “I thought [Miller] finished much better than he started and look forward to the next [start] being even better.” Indeed, Plunkett notes in no uncertain words that Miller will continue to fill Tyler Glasnow’s spot in the rotation for the time being.

Aside from Miller, the Dodgers’ only pitchers with options are starter Gavin Stone and relievers Alex Vesia and Michael Kopech. Simply put, it’s extremely hard to imagine the team would send any of those arms to Triple-A. Therefore, unless the Dodgers are planning to place a pitcher on the IL, their only other choice would be to DFA someone like Brent Honeywell Jr. or Joe Kelly. Kelly has struggled since returning from a shoulder injury in July (5.59 ERA in 12 G) but he is a proven veteran on an $8MM contract. Honeywell, on the other hand, has a 1.96 ERA in 18 1/3 innings with L.A., but neither his underlying numbers nor his track record are nearly as impressive.

Dodgers Recall Bobby Miller, Activate Ryan Brasier

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The Dodgers added a pair of right-handed pitchers to the active roster today, promoting Bobby Miller from Triple-A Oklahoma City and activating Ryan Brasier from the 60-day injured list. To free up space on the 26-man roster, right-hander Michael Grove and left-hander Justin Wrobleski were optioned to Triple-A. The Dodgers already had an open spot on the 40-man after designating Amed Rosario for assignment on Monday.

Miller, 25, has had a rough go of it in his sophomore season. After pitching to a 3.76 ERA and 3.93 SIERA in his rookie campaign, the righty had mixed results over his first three starts in 2024, putting up a 5.40 ERA and 3.22 SIERA in 11 2/3 innings pitched. He then spent the next two months on the IL with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Miller returned to the mound in mid-June but struggled tremendously over his next four outings, giving up 19 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings (9.87 ERA). He struck out only nine, walked 12, and allowed five home runs – and least one in all four starts. His fastball velocity was also significantly slower; his four-seam averaged 99 mph in 2023, 98.3 mph over his first three starts in 2024, and just 96.8 mph in his last four starts before his demotion. Following what was arguably the worst start of his big league career (4 IP, 9 ER against the Phillies on July 9), he was optioned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club.

Unfortunately, Miller hasn’t looked much sharper at Triple-A. In three starts after being sent down, he gave up nine runs (eight earned) on 11 hits, with matching 18.3% strikeout and walk rates. He has not regained any of his missing fastball velocity either; his four-seam averaged 96.5 mph in his latest Triple-A outing on August 9. That being said, the Dodgers might simply have run out of other options for the starting rotation. Earlier this week, the team announced that top prospect River Ryan would undergo Tommy John surgery and ace Tyler Glasnow would hit the 15-day IL with elbow tendinitis. Wrobleski started on Friday, and Landon Knack was optioned after pitching four innings in relief on Tuesday. Miller is the only other healthy starter on the 40-man roster.

Wrobleski collected the win against the Cardinals yesterday, but the 24-year-old didn’t exactly look sharp. He gave up four runs on three homers in five innings of work, striking out three and walking two. The southpaw has a 4.68 ERA and 5.14 SIERA in 25 big league innings this year, to go with a 5.23 ERA and 5.03 FIP in four starts at Triple-A Oklahoma.

Thus, Miller will take the ball in today’s Players’ Weekend contest against the Cardinals. Barring a particularly poor performance, he could remain in the rotation until Glasnow is ready to return. The All-Star right-hander likely won’t miss much time, with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reporting that Glasnow “feels fine” and did not even want to go on the IL in the first place. His IL placement is retroactive to August 13, so he will be eligible to come back to the team on August 28.

Meanwhile, Brasier will return to pitch out of the Dodgers bullpen for the first time since April. He has been out for nearly four months nursing a right calf strain. Although his early-season performance was uninspiring (4.63 ERA in 12 games), the 36-year-old was dominant for the Dodgers after they acquired him last season (0.70 ERA in 79 games), and the team will hope he can contribute in the late innings down the stretch. Despite his mediocre ERA, he pitched to a 3.21 SIERA in April, almost identical to his 3.29 SIERA with L.A. in 2023. On top of that, he looked sharp against minor league competition during his Triple-A rehab stint, tossing eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and only one walk. What’s more, his average velocity was up on both his four-seam and sinker compared to his radar gun readings in April.

Grove, 27, has a 5.18 ERA in 33 appearances for the Dodgers this year. However, his 3.20 SIERA is much more promising, and he will head to Triple-A to wait in the wings as additional bullpen depth. Despite his unsightly ERA, he has looked like a solid multi-inning reliever when he’s taken the mound for the Dodgers this year. Yet, considering his mixed results – including a poor outing yesterday – and his optionability, it comes as little surprise that the Dodgers chose to send Grove down to make room for Brasier in the bullpen.

Dodgers Place Tyler Glasnow On Injured List

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The Dodgers placed Tyler Glasnow on the 15-day injured list shortly before tonight’s matchup with the Cardinals. It’s the second IL stint of the season for the lanky right-hander, who is dealing with elbow tendinitis. Rookie southpaw Justin Wrobleski was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City and will make his fifth big league start this evening.

While there had not been any indication that Glasnow was battling injury, the Dodgers announced yesterday that they were moving his scheduled start back from tonight to Saturday. As Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic observes (on X), it seems likely the Dodgers will turn to Bobby Miller to take the ball tomorrow instead. Miller has been on optional assignment since shorty before the All-Star Break but is traveling with the MLB club on the taxi squad. Miller has continued to struggle over three Triple-A starts since being demoted. He hasn’t pithed in a week, though, so he’ll likely be recalled.

There’s nothing to suggest that Glasnow is in for an extended absence. Losing him for at least two weeks is nevertheless another blow to a rotation that has gotten hit hard by injury. The Dodgers are without Yoshinobu Yamamoto because of a rotator cuff strain and have been without Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Emmet Sheehan all season. Each of Gonsolin, May and Sheehan have undergone significant arm surgeries. Top prospect River Ryan is joining them in that regard. He’s headed for Tommy John surgery and might be out until 2026.

Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler recently returned from extended injury absences. Miller lost a couple months to a shoulder problem and has looked like a shell of his rookie self since returning. The Dodgers acquired Jack Flaherty in one of the biggest deadline deals, though he’s not without health questions himself. Rookie righty Gavin Stone has stepped up as a surprisingly crucial rotation piece, taking the ball 22 times and turning in a 3.63 ERA through 121 1/3 innings.

Wrobleski’s appearance tonight is expected to be a spot start. That’d leave L.A. with a rotation of Flaherty, Stone, Kershaw, Buehler and Miller for the next few weeks. They’ll obviously hope for Glasnow to return in short order. Their offseason trade acquisition has been fantastic when healthy, working to a 3.49 ERA while striking out more than 32% of batters faced over 22 starts. This season’s 134 innings is already his career high in any major or minor league season.

Durability has long been the biggest question with Glasnow, who lost most of the 2022 season to Tommy John surgery. His IL placement early this year was a lot less concerning. Glasnow was out for a minimal 15-day stint around the All-Star Break because of lower back inflammation — an injury break that also served as a check on his escalating workload.

The Dodgers felt relatively comfortable with their place in the division at that time. Hot streaks by the Padres and Diamondbacks have closed the gap, cutting L.A.’s lead in the NL West to two games. The Dodgers remain a near lock to make the postseason, but they’re not cruising to the division title the way that most had expected.

Getting healthier by October still remains the team’s biggest priority. Their rotation was decimated by injury by the time the playoffs rolled around a year ago. They went into the postseason relying on Miller and a clearly diminished version of Kershaw who was pitching through a shoulder injury that required surgery. The Diamondbacks swept them out of the Division Series on their path to the NL pennant.

The Dodgers aren’t at last year’s panic level right now. Flaherty has pitched like a potential Game 1 starter this year. Glasnow may be back well in advance of the postseason. Yamamoto is hoping for a return late in the regular season; he threw a 17-pitch simulated game this afternoon as he starts to rebuild his arm strength (relayed on X by Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times). There’s still a path for the Dodgers running a playoff rotation comprising Glasnow, Yamamoto, Flaherty and one of Stone or Kershaw.

Los Angeles will get some help on the pitching staff tomorrow, albeit in the bullpen. DiGiovanna tweets that the team will reinstate Ryan Brasier from the 60-day injured list. The righty has been out since late April on account of a significant calf strain. L.A. already has an opening on the 40-man roster after designating Amed Rosario for assignment earlier in the week.

Dodgers Option Bobby Miller

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The Dodgers optioned Bobby Miller to Triple-A Oklahoma City this afternoon. Los Angeles recalled reliever Ricky Vanasco to step into the bullpen for the time being.

Miller was the Dodgers’ most reliable starting pitcher by the end of his rookie season. The former first-round pick and top prospect turned in a 3.76 ERA over 23 starts in his debut campaign. He entered this year as the arguable #3 arm behind offseason pickups Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Miller’s year could hardly have started any better, as he tossed six scoreless innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts against the Cardinals in his debut.

Things fell off after that. The Cubs tagged Miller for five runs without allowing him to escape the second inning during his next start. Miller came out of his third appearance with shoulder inflammation. He spent the next two months on the injured list.

The Dodgers activated Miller from the IL on June 19. He has taken the ball four times since that point with dismal results. Miller allowed five runs over 6 1/3 frames at Coors Field. He surrendered three runs over two innings to the White Sox before tossing five frames of two-run ball against the Diamondbacks. Working on a full week of rest, he hit a low point in last night’s start against the Phillies.

Philadelphia tagged Miller for nine runs on 10 hits through four innings. He gave up two home runs and has surrendered at least one longball in each of his last four outings. Miller has issued three walks in every appearance since returning and hasn’t recorded more than four strikeouts in a start. Since his reinstatement, he has allowed 19 runs across 17 1/3 innings. Miller has walked 12 while striking out nine. Opponents are hitting .338/.434/.620 with five homers in 83 plate appearances.

That’s obviously nowhere near the level the Dodgers were expecting. Miller and skipper Dave Roberts each told reporters that the pitcher is not working through any shoulder discomfort (link via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). Miller has lost a bit of velocity, though, sitting in the 96-97 MPH range with his fastball after averaging around 99 MPH during his season debut. It’s possible there’s something amiss mechanically, although a 96-97 MPH heater should still have plenty of life.

Pitchers must spend at least 15 days in the minors after being optioned unless they’re recalled to replace an injured player. The Dodgers can bring Miller back up on July 25. That could amount to skipping just one turn through the rotation because of next week’s All-Star festivities, but Roberts said the team doesn’t have a specific target for Miller’s return. It’s not out of the question he remains in Triple-A past the July 30 trade deadline.

Miller’s demotion is another hit to what has become a rotation in flux. The Dodgers have placed Yamamoto, Glasnow and Walker Buehler on the injured list over the past few weeks. Glasnow is dealing with what seems to be minor back tightness and should be back in short order. The timeline on Buehler (hip inflammation) and Yamamoto (rotator cuff strain) is less clear. Los Angeles could welcome Clayton Kershaw around the end of this month, but he’s coming back from offseason shoulder surgery.

Gavin Stone, James Paxton and Landon Knack now stand as the top three arms in the L.A. rotation. Lefty Justin Wrobleski made his big league debut over the weekend and will probably get another start. They’re essentially out of other healthy starters. Ardaya reported last night that righty Kyle Hurt, who might’ve been a depth option, is being shut down after experiencing elbow soreness in Triple-A. The Dodgers will probably need to deploy a bullpen game at some point this week to get to the All-Star Break.

With a 7.5 game cushion in the NL West, the Dodgers have some leeway to weather a tough few weeks on the rotation front. They still have plenty of upside for a playoff rotation that could include Glasnow, Yamamoto, Kershaw, Stone, and potentially a resurgent Buehler or Miller. There’s growing uncertainty with the group, though, which raises questions for the front office before the deadline.

The Dodgers have already reportedly made an offer for White Sox breakout lefty Garrett Crochet. Chicago turned it down, but L.A. will surely remain one of a number of teams in that mix. Crochet’s teammate Erick Fedde is also likely to be traded, as are rentals Jack Flaherty and Yusei Kikuchi.

Dodgers Place Walker Buehler On Injured List

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The Dodgers announced the placement of Walker Buehler on the 15-day injured list. He’s dealing with inflammation in his right hip. That’s the corresponding move for the reinstatement of Bobby Miller from his own 15-day IL stint. Manager Dave Roberts announced last week that Miller would make his return tonight against the Rockies.

Buehler’s IL placement isn’t unexpected. Both Roberts and the veteran righty told reporters last night that it was under consideration. Buehler hasn’t looked like himself in his return from the second Tommy John surgery of his career. He has taken the ball eight times since being activated on May 6. Buehler has been tagged for a 5.84 ERA across 37 innings with alarming underlying indicators. Opponents have already connected on 10 home runs (2.43 per nine) while his strikeout rate has dropped to a personal-low 18.5% clip.

On a per-pitch basis, Buehler has gotten swinging strikes only 7.2% of the time. He had landed somewhere in the 10-12% range in every prior season of his career. Buehler hasn’t had any issues throwing strikes, but his overall performance has been that of a control-oriented #5 starter as opposed to a borderline ace.

It wouldn’t have been fair to expect Buehler to immediately pick back up as a top-flight starter nearly two years since his most recent MLB pitch. He and the Dodgers certainly wouldn’t have anticipated him struggling to this extent, though, so the IL placement will serve as a reset. Buehler’s velocity has come back after the elbow procedure, offering reason for optimism he can sort things out. His four-seam fastball has averaged 95.5 MPH while his 91.5 MPH cutter and 79 MPH knuckle-curve are in line with their respective 2022 figures.

That will leave the Dodgers shorthanded in the rotation. As recently as late last week, Roberts indicated that L.A. was going to move to a six-man unit with Miller’s return. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Buehler since gone down, leaving Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone and James Paxton alongside Miller.

Roberts said tonight that L.A. will make a move on Friday to fill the starting spot (X link via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). Righty Landon Knack last pitched for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, so he’d be on regular rest for a Friday start. Knack pitched well in four MLB starts earlier in the year and has a 3.54 ERA over 48 1/3 frames with OKC. He’s the straightforward choice to draw back into the starting five.

Dodgers To Reinstate Bobby Miller Next Week

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Bobby Miller will return to the Dodgers rotation next week. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that L.A. will reinstate Miller from the 15-day injured list to start against the Rockies on Wednesday (X link via Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times). He’s not the only Dodger pitcher who’ll be making a noteworthy start that night. Clayton Kershaw will begin a rehab appearance with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday.

Miller has been out of action for more than two months. The second-year righty took the ball three times before going on the shelf with shoulder inflammation. He began a rehab stint on May 26 and has started four games in the minors. Miller had a rough go on that assignment, allowing 14 runs over 15 innings. He topped out at 4 2/3 innings and 93 pitches for Triple-A Oklahoma City yesterday.

A former first-round pick, Miller emerged as arguably the Dodgers’ top starter in the second half of his rookie season. He turned in a 3.76 ERA with a solid 23.6% strikeout rate over his first 22 starts. He recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts against the Cardinals to kick off his sophomore season, but the Cubs tagged him for five runs over 1 2/3 frames in his second outing. Miller tossed four innings of two-run ball against the Twins before the injury.

The Dodger rotation let them down in the postseason, contributing to their sweep at the hands of the D-Backs in the Division Series. The front office overhauled the group over the winter. The Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a record deal for a pitcher not long after acquiring and extending Tyler Glasnow. They brought in James Paxton later in the offseason.

That trio each has an earned run average between 3.00 and 4.00 on the season. Glasnow and Yamamoto have been excellent, running huge strikeout rates with plus command. Paxton’s peripherals are much shakier, as he has walked 12.6% of batters faced with a well below-average 13.8% strikeout rate.

Gavin Stone has stepped up in Miller’s absence, working to a 2.93 ERA over 67 2/3 innings. Walker Buehler has rounded out the starting staff since his return from Tommy John surgery. Buehler has shown some rust over his first seven starts, allowing 4.64 earned runs per nine with a diminished 19.7% strikeout percentage.

No one from that quintet will be nudged out of the rotation. Roberts said the Dodgers will move to a six-man rotation “for this moment in time” once Miller returns (link via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Los Angeles is three games into a stretch of 12 consecutive game days. The Dodgers already shuffled their rotation this week to get an extra couple days off for Yamamoto and Glasnow, so they’ll welcome the opportunity to get their starters a bit of a breather. That’ll come with a hit to their bullpen depth, as they’ll need to go to a seven-man relief group to meet the limit of 13 pitchers on the active roster.

The Dodgers could welcome Kershaw back to the group a few weeks from now. The three-time Cy Young winner underwent shoulder surgery in early November. Next week’s appearance will be his first game action of 2024. That could position him for a return to the MLB rotation around the All-Star Break.

Kershaw worked to a 2.46 ERA over 24 regular season starts a year ago. His velocity evaporated down the stretch as he pitched through the injured shoulder, though, culminating in a disastrous outing in his lone playoff start. He officially re-signed with L.A. in February on an incentive-laden deal that guaranteed him $10MM. Kershaw is making a $5MM base salary and could earn an additional $7.5MM in performance bonuses if he gets to 10 starts. He has a $5MM player option for next year that could rise as high as $20MM if he makes 10 starts in 2024. That still seems attainable with Kershaw trending towards a July return.

West Notes: Miller, Kershaw, Graterol, Scherzer

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The Dodgers have suffered more than their fair share of injuries this season, but they have received several positive updates in recent days. For one, young right-hander Bobby Miller could soon rejoin the rotation. After a strong rookie season in 2023, Miller has missed most of his sophomore campaign with a shoulder injury. However, his latest rehab appearance last Friday went well, and afterward, manager Dave Roberts suggested Miller could be ready to return without another rehab start – although, as more time passes without an update, it seems that Miller will likely make one final rehab start after all (per MLB.com)

Miller allowed seven runs on 11 hits and six walks over 11 2/3 innings across his first three starts in 2024 before landing on the IL. However, he is coming off a breakout 2023 season in which he pitched to a 3.76 ERA and 3.93 SIERA over 22 starts (124 1/3 innings). Still just 25 years old, he looks to be a fixture in the Dodgers rotation for years to come.

The Dodgers currently have a starting five of Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Gavin Stone, James Paxton, and Walker Buehler, so they don’t need to rush Miller back from the IL. That said, with no off days in their schedule until June 23, the Dodgers could certainly use a sixth starter to help shoulder the workload.

More injury updates from around the NL and AL West…

  • Sticking with Dodgers starting pitchers, Clayton Kershaw could soon begin a minor league rehab assignment of his own. The long-time Dodgers ace has yet to pitch this season after undergoing shoulder surgery last November. However, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday that Kershaw was scheduled to throw a third simulated game, and after that, he could be ready to start a rehab assignment. This seems to put him on track to come back sometime next month. “Sometime in July” was always considered the earliest possible timeline for Kershaw’s return.
  • Meanwhile, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports that reliever Brusdar Graterol will throw a bullpen session this week. The right-hander has been out since spring training with a shoulder injury, and he suffered a setback in late April, forcing him to shut down his throwing program. Graterol played a key role in the Dodgers bullpen last season, pitching to a 1.20 ERA and 3.31 SIERA over 68 appearances, racking up seven saves, 19 holds, and leading the pitching staff in Win Probability Added (WPA).
  • Finally, moving over to the American League, Max Scherzer could rejoin the Rangers rotation as soon as next week (per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today). The three-time Cy Young winner is scheduled to make a third rehab start on Friday, after which he could be ready to return to the majors. His second rehab appearance went well, and barring a setback, his outing with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday could be the last rehab start he needs. Wilson reports that Scherzer could make his 2024 debut as early as June 19, although he suggests the Rangers could opt to give Scherzer some extra rest, pushing his start back to June 21.
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