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Dodgers Designate Jason Heyward For Assignment

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The Dodgers announced that they have designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment. His roster spot will go to infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor, who has been activated from the injured list. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the Heyward DFA on X prior to the official announcement.

Heyward, 35, engineered a solid bounceback season with the Dodgers last year. After struggling with the Cubs for many years, he got into 124 contests with the Dodgers in 2023 and hit .269/.340/.473 for a wRC+ of 120. He also continued to get solid grades for his outfield glovework, mostly in right field but with some time in center as well.

He and the club reunited on a one-year, $9MM pact, though his results have tailed off a bit this season. He has had a couple of stints on the injured list, one due to lower back tightness and one due to a left knee bone bruise. Around those, he has hit .208/.289/.393 for a wRC+ of 91.

That is hardly disastrous production but the Dodger roster is strong enough that even decent players are getting squeezed off. The club acquired Amed Rosario at the deadline but he was nudged off the roster a couple of weeks later when Mookie Betts returned from his stint on the IL.

Speaking of Betts, his return to right field likely played a role in Heyward getting pushed out. Betts had started the year in the middle infield but it was decided to move him back to his customary right field position when he recently returned. The Dodgers acquired Kevin Kiermaier as a glove-first center fielder between the big bats of Betts and Teoscar Hernández in the corners.

The club has seemingly given a priority to flexibility in its bench spots. Guys like Taylor and Enrique Hernández aren’t having amazing seasons at the plate but are capable of playing all over the diamond. Tommy Edman, recently acquired from the Cardinals, has missed most of the season recovering from wrist surgery but can also bounce around to multiple different positions. Heyward can play a bit of center, as mentioned, but is mostly a corner guy with some lackluster results this year, so he is the odd one out.

With the trade deadline now passed, the Dodgers will have to put him on waivers in the coming days. Given his mediocre season and notable salary, it’s possible that he goes unclaimed. If that comes to pass, he has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment while keeping all of that salary on the table. Perhaps that will see him on the free agent market in the coming days.

If that comes to pass, the Dodgers would remain on the hook for what’s left of his salary. Heyward would then be free to sign with any other club, with that team only responsible for paying him the prorated version of the $740K league minimum for any time Heyward spends on the roster, which would be subtracted from what the Dodgers pay.

Assuming he signs elsewhere before September 1, he would be postseason eligible with his new club. He is likely to garner interest given the low-cost investment that would be required and his competent play. His offense has a bit a bit below par this year but was quite strong as recently as last year and his glovework is still solid. He would likely appeal to a club that’s weak against right-handed pitching, given his notable platoon splits. He’s hit .265/.350/.432 against righties for a 114 wRC+ in his career, whereas he has a line of .231/.301/.344 and 78 wRC+ without the platoon advantage.

Dodgers Have Discussed Nolan Arenado Trade With Cardinals

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The Dodgers have engaged the Cardinals in trade talks for Nolan Arenado, reports Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. The third baseman has a full no-trade clause but Castillo reports that Arenado, a Southern California native, is willing to waive that right only if it means going to the Dodgers. It’s unclear if those talks made any progress or if a deal is close but the Cardinals are under no obligation to move Arenado, since he has four more years on his contract and they plan on contending again next year, but the Dodgers do have young pitching that they need. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays word from Arenado’s agent Joel Wolfe, who says that the report Arenado is only willing to waive his no-trade for the Dodgers is “inaccurate.”

It’s hardly surprising that the Dodgers would be interested in Arenado, who has been one of the game’s premier players for quite some time. He’s launched 321 home runs in his career and has produced a batting line of .288/.345/.534 for a wRC+ of 122, dating back to his 2013 debut. He’s done that while providing elite defense at the hot corner, having racked up 151 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, as well as 90 Outs Above Average and a 73.7 grade from Ultimate Zone Rating. He already has a career tally of 48.3 wins above replacement from FanGraphs and 54.1 from Baseball Reference.

The Cardinals are having a disappointing season, having fallen to 46-57 and 9.5 games back of a playoff spot. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak admitted a couple of weeks ago that the club would have to make moves aimed at improving the 2024 club. However, he also maintained that moving a key player like Arenado or Paul Goldschmidt wasn’t in their plans. “I don’t have any intentions of trading anybody like them,” he said, before leaving the door open to an offer that could change his mind. “If you’re willing to listen on anything, you have to understand (anything’s possible), but I doubt that would happen.”

To be clear, the Dodgers having interest in Arenado doesn’t mean the Cards are under any obligation to make a deal. As Mozeliak mentioned, they are willing to listen on anything. All indications have pointed to the Cardinals planning on moving short-term pieces and reloading for 2024 around a similar position player core but with a retooled pitching staff. Perhaps the Dodgers have enough young pitching talent to make a deal happen, but that’s still not clear at this point.

The Dodgers are 58-43, holding a three-game lead in the West and are clearly in buyer position. They’ve already added a couple of complementary pieces in Enrique Hernández and Amed Rosario but a big push for Arenado would obviously be a move in a different stratosphere.

The club has used players like Max Muncy and Chris Taylor at third base for much of this year, though both players are also capable of playing other positions and Castillo reports it’s possible that one or both of them could end up going to St. Louis in the potential deal. Muncy has long been a three-true-outcomes leader, hitting plenty of home runs while frequently walking and striking out. He’s continuing that this year, hitting 25 home runs while slashing .197/.329/.478 for a wRC+ of 118. However, he’s more of a bat-first option at third, having produced subpar defensive grades this year. The Dodgers hold a club option for his services in 2024 set at $10MM with no buyout.

Taylor spent many years as an above-average hitter who could play just about anywhere on the diamond. He reached free agency after 2021 and re-signed with the Dodgers on a four-year, $60MM contract but has seen his offensive performance slip. He hit .265/.343/.461 from 2017 to 2021 but just .219/.297/.399 since the start of last year. Despite the diminished production, he’s still been able to slot into every position except for first base and the battery. He still has two years and $26MM remaining on his deal after this year.

Arenado would undoubtedly be an upgrade over either of those two players, though the Dodgers would have to part with something to make it happen. The Cardinals have long been known to be in need of long-term starting pitching since Adam Wainwright is set to retire while both Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery are impending free agents and likely to wind up traded in the coming days. Steven Matz is a question mark after getting bumped to the bullpen earlier in the year, only recently retaking a starting job. Depth options like Dakota Hudson, Matthew Liberatore, Zack Thompson and Connor Thomas haven’t had great years either, leaving Miles Mikolas as the sole building block in next year’s rotation.

Young and controllable pitching is the something the Dodgers could offer, even some with some major league experience. Multiple injuries to their starting staff this year have forced them up push prospects up to the majors, including Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove. That group would have also included Ryan Pepiot, though he suffered an oblique strain on the verge of Opening Day and has been on the injured list since, only beginning a rehab assignment this month.

Miller, 24, has a 4.28 ERA through 10 starts, striking out 23.2% of hitters while walking 7% and getting grounders at a 45.5% clip. Sheehan, 23, has a 6.75 ERA through his six outings while Grove, 26, is at 6.19 this year. Each of those three and Pepiot were generally considered among the club’s 30 best prospects coming into the season and they all come with years of cheap control. Castillo’s report suggests the Cardinals have interest in all four.  Moving them would leave the Dodgers with diminished pitching depth, but perhaps they could patch that over by acquiring veteran rentals for the stretch run, with Clayton Kershaw potentially returning at some point later in the year. The Dodgers reportedly had interest in rental starter Lucas Giolito prior to him being traded to the Angels yesterday, and Castillo’s report speculates they could be interested in getting Flaherty or Montgomery from the Cardinals as well.

The Cardinals surely have some level of interest in each of those, given their dire need for pitching, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re willing to move on from Arenado in order to acquire them. The two sides have long seen committed to each other, with Arenado even forgoing an opt-out opportunity at the end of last season. He likely could have topped the five years and $144MM remaining on his deal but decided to stay in St. Louis instead. He will still have four more years and $109MM left on that deal at the end of this year.

That would be a hefty salary for the Dodgers to take on as they are already over the competitive balance tax and will likely be trying to sign Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking deal this winter, like many other teams. Perhaps they could balance some of that out by including Muncy or Taylor in the deal, though that would depend how much the Cardinals value those veteran players compared to the younger starters.

Arenado departing St. Louis would leave a hole at third base in St. Louis going forward, though Muncy or Taylor could theoretically help fill that. Leaving those two aside, the Cardinals have many multi-positional players like Brendan Donovan and Nolan Gorman, who have each played some third this year. Tommy Edman hasn’t played there this year but has in the past. He might be needed at shortstop if Paul DeJong winds up traded this week, though prospect Masyn Winn is in Triple-A and could slot in there in the near future.

It’s worth reiterating that teams often discuss all kinds of trade scenarios and there’s been nothing to suggest anything is close to completion here. Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat straight up denies that Arenado is being traded and, as mentioned up top, Arenado’s agent has denied the report about his no-trade clause. The Cardinals and Dodgers make sense as potential trade partners since one has short-term pitching but needs long-term, and the other the opposite. It would be natural for the Dodgers to at least ask about other players in those talks. Mozeliak has said in the past that the Cardinals, despite doing some selling, weren’t looking to move key players like Arenado. He did say they are willing to listen on anything, so perhaps the Dodgers have enough young pitching to make them think about it, but time will tell.

Dodgers Reinstate Chris Taylor, Transfer Shelby Miller To 60-Day Injured List

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The Dodgers announced a few moves before tonight’s series opener. Utilityman Chris Taylor is back from the 10-day injured list. Los Angeles also finalized their major league contract with veteran outfielder Jake Marisnick. Outfielder Jonny Deluca was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Marisnick, reliever Shelby Miller has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Taylor returns a little less than a month after going on the injured list with a bone bruise in his knee. The utilityman and the newly-signed Marisnick add some right-handed depth to the MLB bench. Taylor is hitting .206/.275/.455 with 11 home runs over 59 games.

Miller’s IL transfer is perhaps the more significant of today’s transactions. The veteran right-hander has been on the 15-day IL since June 21 because of neck pain. Today’s move ensures he won’t return before the third week of August. Skipper Dave Roberts told the club’s beat they do expect Miller to be back this season, though it now won’t be for at least another five weeks (relayed by Juan Toribio of MLB.com).

Los Angeles signed Miller to a somewhat surprising $1.5MM major league contract in December. He has had solid results, pitching to a 2.40 ERA across 30 innings — his heaviest MLB workload in four seasons. Miller has walked 15% of opponents but struck out batters at an above-average 25.8% clip. He’ll return to free agency at year’s end.

Los Angeles Notes: Dodgers, Kershaw, Drury, Moore

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The Dodgers could see a shake up in their middle infield following the All Star break. As noted by The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts recently told reporters that the club could consider optioning second baseman Miguel Vargas to the minors as he looks to correct his ongoing struggles, noting that “everything is on the table.” While Vargas got off to a solid start in 2023, with a .240/.341/.432 slash line in his first 44 games, he’s been trending downward ever since then. Since May 21,  Vargas has slashed just .139/.250/.287 in 129 plate appearances. While a BABIP of just .158 during that time could explain Vargas’s woes, the 23 year old is also striking out at an elevated 24.8% rate, a major leap from the 17% rate he was punching out over the season’s first two months.

Of course, the Dodgers have struggled to find production in the middle infield this season. Those issues have resulted in the club using outfielder Mookie Betts up the middle more often than usual. After appearing in just 15 games at second base during his first three seasons in LA, Betts has appeared at the keystone in 22 games this season while also recording 16 appearances at shortstop, a position he had never played in the majors prior to 2023. Those depth issues could be alleviated somewhat in the near future, however, as Roberts told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times) that utility man Chris Taylor will be activated from the injured list following the All Star break. Taylor, who has ample experience all around the infield and outfield, could add another option in addition to Betts the club can utilize both on the infield dirt and the outfield grass.

More from MLB’s LA teams…

  • Sticking with the Dodgers, Roberts told reporters (including Ardaya) that veteran ace Clayton Kershaw was feeling good after throwing a few pitches off the mound earlier today. The club has yet to decide whether or not Kershaw will return when first eligible on July 15, though Roberts previously expressed confidence Kershaw’s stint on the shelf would be a short one. The 2023 campaign has been another fantastic season for Kershaw as the lefty has posted a 2.55 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 95 1/3 innings of work. That inning total puts Kershaw on pace to easily surpass his innings totals from the past three seasons, during which he topped out with last year’s 126 1/3 figure.
  • Angels infielder Brandon Drury is still struggling with shoulder woes after landing on the injured list with a shoulder contusion last week. Manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) that an MRI on Drury’s shoulder revealed nothing but inflammation, indicating the infielder had avoided major injury. Drury will receive a cortisone shot and be re-evaluated after the All Star break. Drury’s absence is one of multiple key losses the Angels have suffered recently. Anthony Rendon hasn’t played since Tuesday after fouling a ball off his shin while Mike Trout, Zack Neto, and Gio Urshela have all landed on the shelf in recent weeks.
  • In more positive Angels news, Bollinger notes that left-hander Matt Moore threw 20 pitches to live hitters today, later telling reporters that he felt great afterwards. Moore’s return would be a major boost to the Anaheim bullpen, as the 34-year-old veteran posted a sterling 1.44 ERA in 25 innings this season prior to his placement on the IL at the end of May. While Moore’s been on the shelf, the club has relief on Chris Devenski and Jose Soriano alongside closer Carlos Estevez in the late innings.

Roberts: Pursuing Right-Handed Bat “Makes Sense” For Dodgers

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As is customary, the Dodgers enter deadline season looking to add to the roster. Los Angeles holds the National League’s second Wild Card spot and sits 2 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has already acknowledged the club is likely to pursue rotation help — and that was before they knew Dustin May would not return this season. Manager Dave Roberts suggested this evening the team could benefit from bringing in a right-handed hitter as well.

“I think a right-handed bat makes sense,” Roberts told reporters (including Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times). The skipper pointed to the uncertain health status of righty-hitting utility player Chris Taylor as reason to explore outside help. Taylor has been on the injured list for two weeks because of a bone bruise in his right knee. Roberts said over the weekend that he’d be out through the All-Star Break, and tonight’s suggestion about potential external reinforcements could indicate the club is concerned about a fairly lengthy absence.

Even independent of the knee issue, there’s a case for the Dodgers scaling back Taylor’s role. He has hit just .217/.293/.397 with a 35.1% strikeout rate in 636 trips to the plate since the start of last season. Taylor has hit seven homers in 62 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year, but he has had a tough time getting on base consistently against pitchers of either handedness.

The Dodgers are also without Trayce Thompson, who entered the year expected to serve as the right-handed part of a center field platoon with James Outman. Los Angeles has Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Will Smith and the middle infield tandem of Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas who hit from the right side. Betts, Martinez and Smith are three of the better hitters in the sport, but Vargas and Rojas have struggled offensively. Backup catcher Austin Barnes isn’t much of a threat at the dish. Righty-swinging fourth outfielder Jonny DeLuca doesn’t have much big league experience.

Los Angeles could cast a wide net positionally if they indeed seek out a right-handed bat. Betts has shown himself capable of manning the middle infield or taking an outfield spot, so he could bounce around to accommodate a new acquisition. That’s also true of Taylor whenever he’s able to return from the injured list.

Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, Mark Canha and Adam Duvall are among the right-handed hitters who could be available at the deadline with their current teams in uncertain competitive situations. The Reds are fighting for an NL Central title but could still make former #2 overall pick Nick Senzel available as a change-of-scenery candidate given their influx of infield talent.

Senzel hasn’t hit righties at all this year but carries a .373/.422/.627 line in 64 plate appearances against southpaws and can bounce between the infield and outfield. Outfielder Lane Thomas is destroying left-handed pitching for the Nationals this season; he’s controllable through 2025 and would be tough to pry away, but a rebuilding Washington club seems unlikely to take him off the table entirely in trade discussions.

Dodgers Notes: Urias, Kershaw, Taylor

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The Dodgers welcomed left-hander Julio Urias back from the 15-day injured list earlier this evening to start tonight’s game against the Royals. Urias has been on the shelf since late May with a hamstring strain and suffered a setback early last month as he neared a return. He now appears to be fully healthy, stepping back into the rotation with a 4.39 ERA and 5.30 FIP through ten starts this season. A free agent at season’s end, Urias’s performance will be of great importance not only to the Dodgers, but to Urias himself as the 27-year-old hurler looks poised to enter the open market as one of the top arms available.

Urias’s return couldn’t come at a better time, as Mike DiGiovanna of The LA Times notes that club ace Clayton Kershaw is dealing with inflammation in his shoulder following his start against the Rockies on Tuesday. Kershaw received a cortisone injection on Thursday and hopes to return to the mound Monday without missing a start, though comments from manager Dave Roberts indicate that may not come to pass. Roberts told reporters, including DiGiovanna, that Kershaw’s bullpen session went “just OK” and that Kershaw would likely require a trip to the injured list if he isn’t ready for Monday’s start. Should that situation come to pass, right-hander Michael Grove would likely fill in for Kershaw on Monday.

Any missed time for Kershaw, who sports a sterling 2.55 ERA and 3.53 FIP through 95 1/3 innings of work this season, would be a blow to the Dodgers, though the club is fortunate to have a variety of young hurlers on tap to cover innings as needed. Grove, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Gavin Stone have combined to start nearly a quarter of the club’s games so far in the 2020 campaign as each of Urias, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, and Dustin May have missed time this season.

Utility man Chris Taylor, on the other hand, has not been so easy for the club to fill in for. Taylor went on the injured list last weekend with a bone bruise that has kept him from taking the field since June 16th. With youngsters Michael Busch and Miguel Vargas both having struggled at the big league level this season, the club has been forced to get creative in covering for Taylor, using Mookie Betts in the infield more often while relying on depth options such as Johnny DeLuca and Yonny Hernandez. Unfortunately for LA, the club figures to be without Taylor for awhile yet, as Roberts tells reporters (including DiGiovanna) that the 32 year old won’t return to action until after the All Star break.

In 182 trips to the plate this season, Taylor has slashed .206/.275/.455 good for a 94 wRC+ that clocks in at just below league average. Still, that production has been valuable to the club thanks to Taylor’s ability to play all over the diamond; Taylor has logged time at center field, second base, third base, shortstop, and left field throughout the 2023 campaign, with most of his innings coming at the latter three positions.

Dodgers To Place Chris Taylor On IL

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The Dodgers are placing utility man Chris Taylor on the IL with a bone bruise, according to manager Dave Roberts, as reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.  He notes that infielder Yonny Hernandez will take Taylor’s spot on the active roster.

Taylor last appeared in a game for the Dodgers on June 21st, so the move will be retroactive to that date.  Back on June 16th, Taylor started a game against the Giants at third base, but exited in the fourth inning due to knee pain.  He subsequently received injections of cortisone and platelet-rich plasma in the knee, but didn’t go beyond a pair of pinch-hitting appearances after that.

Prior to the injury, Taylor had made four consecutive starts at third base following Max Muncy’s hamstring strain.  Taylor, 32, has also logged a notable amount of innings at shortstop and left field this year.

After a five-year stretch of excellence from 2017-21 that saw Taylor accumulate 14.7 WAR for the Dodgers with a 116 wRC+ at the plate, he reached free agency.  The Dodgers moved quickly to re-sign him to a four-year contract in November of ’21, but he’s slipped to a 93 wRC+ from 2022 to present.  Taylor joins a Dodgers IL list that includes 15 other players at the moment.

Hernandez, 25, has 56 big league games on his resume.  Originally signed by the Rangers out of Venezuela, most of his Major League experience came with that club in 2021.  The D’Backs picked him up in an April 2022 trade, but lost him to Oakland in a November waiver claim that year.  When the A’s quickly designated Hernandez for assignment, the Dodgers grabbed him for cash considerations.  He had a brief appearance with the Dodgers in April of this year when Miguel Rojas hit the IL, but quickly lost his spot to Andre Jackson (who was shipped to the Pirates this afternoon).

Hernandez owns a .260/.407/.385 line in 47 Triple-A games this year, logging innings on the left side of the infield.

Dodgers Notes: Taylor, Peralta, Urias, Hudson

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Dodgers veterans Chris Taylor and David Peralta are both out of the lineup today after exiting yesterday’s game against the Giants. Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register notes that Peralta’s hamstring feels better today, and that manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Peralta could be available off the bench in tonight’s game, though he likely would not be tasked with playing the outfield for a few days.

As for Taylor, Plunkett notes that the veteran utility player underwent an MRI on his knee today that showed he had suffered a bone bruise, a diagnosis that came as a relief to the 32-year-old. Roberts expanded on Taylor’s comments, noting to reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) that Taylor was dealing with “cartilage discomfort” for which he was poised to get a cortisone shot. While both Taylor and Roberts acknowledged that he’ll be out of action for a few days, the pair also expressed optimism that he would be able to avoid a stint on the injured list, though Ardaya notes that infielder Yonny Hernandez is with the team to step in should a roster move be necessary.

With Taylor and potentially Peralta out of the lineup just a day after the club put Max Muncy on the injured list with a hamstring strain, the Dodgers are facing a significant test to their position player depth. While youngster Michael Busch helps to bolster the bench and Mookie Betts is capable of playing both the middle infield or in the outfield as necessary, the club was still forced to get creative with today’s lineup, penciling DH J.D. Martinez into the starting lineup in left field. It was Martinez’s first start anywhere other than DH since 2021, as the veteran slugger hasn’t played the outfield on a regular basis since 2017.

In more positive injury news, left-hander Julio Urias appears to be progressing in his rehab of a hamstring strain, as Plunkett notes the 26-year-old threw a 40-pitch up and down bullpen session today. According to Plunkett, Urias’s next steps will be a live sim game before beginning a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. Urias’s return would be a major boost for LA, as the club lacks certainty in their rotation behind the trio of Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and youngster Bobby Miller.

Also approaching a potential return to action is right-hander Daniel Hudson. As Roberts noted to reporters, including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Hudson is set to move his rehab process from Arizona Complex League to Triple-A in the coming week as he looks to face stronger competition en route to a return to the Dodgers’ bullpen, which Roberts believes could happen before the end of the month. A return to action for Hudson, who sports a 2.96 ERA and 2.84 FIP since the start of the 2021 campaign but hasn’t thrown a pitch in 2023 while rehabbing knee surgery, would be a major boon for the Dodgers as they look to improve a bullpen that sports an NL-worst 4.90 ERA despite a strong nucleus of Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, and Caleb Ferguson.

Dodgers Select Luke Williams, Transfer Daniel Hudson To 60-Day IL

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The Dodgers announced they’ve selected the contract of utility player Luke Williams. He’ll take the active roster spot of infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts, who has been placed on the paternity list. To open a spot for Williams on the 40-man roster, right-hander Daniel Hudson was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reported that Williams was with the club prior to the official announcement.

Williams could be in position to make his team debut. Initially claimed off waivers from the Marlins at the start of last offseason, he was promptly non-tendered. The Dodgers circled back to re-sign him to a minor league deal, assigning him to Triple-A Oklahoma City to open the year. The right-handed hitter has been on a tear through his first couple weeks in OKC, hitting .375/.455/.696 with seven walks and only ten strikeouts through 66 plate appearances.

Initially a third-round pick of the Phillies, Williams has briefly appeared for three teams at the MLB level. He’s a .240/.299/.316 hitter across 244 big league plate appearances. He’s up to a more impressive .307/.378/.455 line in 60 Triple-A contests split through a trio of seasons. Williams brings a fair bit of defensive flexibility to the bench, as he has ample experience at the three infield spots to the left of first base and each outfield position.

That versatility takes on some immediate importance in L.A., as Chris Taylor has been bothered by side soreness. The utilityman told reporters he’s not scheduled for imaging and hopes he can avoid an injured list stint (via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). He’s out of tonight’s game though, thinning the depth behind Miguel Rojas at shortstop.

It seems Betts could factor into that mix as well. He’s expected to rejoin the team tomorrow — Williams still has a pair of minor league options and could easily be sent back to Oklahoma City — and skipper Dave Roberts implied Betts could get some starts at shortstop (relayed by Juan Toribio of MLB.com). Betts has never started a professional game at shortstop, so it’s unlikely he’ll offer the plus defense there that Rojas provides. Betts has experience at second base, however, and he’s obviously a far better hitter than Rojas. The glove-first veteran is off to a meager .129/.182/.161 start to his Dodger tenure.

As for Hudson, he’s now officially ruled out through late May. The IL placement backdates to the start of the regular season. The veteran reliever has been delayed by left knee soreness as he works back from last season’s ACL tear. Roberts said today that Hudson has battled patellar tenditis in the joint. The Dodgers are targeting a June return, so there’s little reason not to place him on the 60-day IL (Ardaya link).

List Of Players On Track For 10-And-5 Rights

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In baseball parlance, players are often said to have “10-and-5 rights” or the player might be described as a “10-and-5 guy.” Any player who has 10 or more years of service time and has been with his current club for five or more consecutive years gets veto power over any trade involving them. This essentially functions the same as a no-trade clause, which players can negotiate into their contracts. But with 10-and-5 rights, the right is gained automatically once the conditions are met. There is often overlap, as players that have no-trade clauses will eventually earn 10-and-5 rights as well, which makes it a moot point in those cases.

A player’s status as a 10-and-5 player can impact trade negotiations, as players like Adam Jones and Brandon Phillips have used it blocked trades in the past. Also, a team may sometimes trade a player on the cusp of reaching 10-and-5 status, since it becomes harder to line up a deal once the player has that veto power. The Rays traded Evan Longoria to the Giants in the 2017-2018 offseason, when his service time was at nine years and 170 days, meaning he would have earned 10-and-5 rights just two days into the 2018 campaign.

Listed below are the players who currently have 10-and-5 rights, as well as those who are approaching that mark. For instances where service time is mentioned, keep in mind that an MLB season has 187 days but a player’s service time “year” flips over at 172.

Currently Have 10-and-5 Rights

Altuve has over 11 years of service time and has spent it all with the Astros. It’s a fairly moot point as his current deal, which runs through 2024, contains a full no-trade clause. The club is also more likely to give him another extension than trade him.

Blackmon has over 10 years of service time and all of it with the Rockies. He triggered a player option for 2023, after which he will be a free agent.

Cabrera will reach 20 years of service this year and has been with the Tigers since 2008. He is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a couple of vesting options that aren’t a factor since he needs to finish in the top 10 in MVP voting the year prior in order to trigger them. He’s been fairly open about how he’s quite likely to retire at the end of the current season.

Crawford has over 11 years of service, all of it with the Giants. He’s slated for free agency at the end of this season.

Kershaw has over 14 years of experience at this point, all of it with the Dodgers. A trade wouldn’t seem plausible anyway, as he and the club seem to have a nice relationship with each other. He’s re-signed on one-year deals in each of the past two offseasons, seemingly keeping the door open to retirement whenever he decides it’s time.

Perez has spent his entire career with the Royals, which has pushed him past the 11-year mark in terms of service time. His current deal runs through 2025 with a club option for 2026.

Sale has gone beyond the 12-year service time mark and is now in his sixth season with the Red Sox. The extension he signed with the club in March of 2019 gave him a full no-trade clause in the middle of the 2020 campaign. He’s been floated as a speculative trade candidate if the Sox fall out of contention this year, though Sale would have to approve such a deal. His current contract runs through 2024 with a club option for 2025.

Stanton has over 12 years in the big leagues now and is in his sixth campaign as a Yankee. His deal runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

Strasburg has beyond 12 years of service right now, all of it with the Nationals. The club’s deal with the right-hander after their 2019 World Series victory went south immediately, as he’s tossed just over 30 innings since then and doesn’t seem near any kind of return. That contract has a full no-trade clause and runs through 2026.

Trout has more than 11 years of service and all of it with the Angels. He already had full no-trade protection from his current contract, which runs through 2030. Some have speculated that the club could look to move Trout and do a full rebuild if Shohei Ohtani departs in free agency after this year. If the Angels ever did consider such a plan, Trout would have to be okay with the destination.

Votto is over 15 years of service at this point, all of it with the Reds. He’s had full no-trade protection since signing his ten-year extension in April of 2012. That deal is now in its final guaranteed year, with the club having a $20MM option for 2024 that comes with a $7MM buyout.

Wainwright has over 17 years of major league service time, all of that with the Cardinals. He re-signed with the club for 2023 and has full no-trade protection from that deal. He is planning to retire after this season.

Will Gain 10-and-5 Rights This Year

Corbin already has over 10 years of service time and is currently in his fifth season with the Nationals. His six-year deal, which runs through 2024, contains partial no-trade protection but he will have 10-and-5 rights at the end of the 2023 campaign. The Nats would probably love to move him but he’s been getting worse in each year of the deal, with his ERA climbing from 3.25 in the first season to 4.66, 5.82 and 6.31, with his 2023 mark currently at 7.71. The backloaded deal will pay him $24MM this year and $35MM next year, meaning he would need a spectacular turnaround in order to have any trade appeal at all.

Goldschmidt has over 11 years of service time but only came over to the Cardinals for the 2019 season, making this his fifth year with the club. It’s a moot point since Goldy got a full no-trade in his most recent extension, which runs through 2024.

Harper has over 10 years of service already and is in his fifth season with the Phillies. His 13-year deal comes with full no-trade protection anyway, and it’s not like the Phils have any interest in trading him. The deal goes through 2031.

Hicks has been with the Yankees since 2016 and came into this season with his service time at 9.041. That means he’s slated to have 10-and-5 rights in August, just after the trade deadline. The extension he signed with the club in 2019 did not have any no-trade protection, though Hicks would get a $1MM assignment bonus if he were traded. He’s perhaps the most notable player on this list, given that he actually seemed like a viable trade candidate in the most recent offseason, though no deal has come together as of yet. His contract pays him $10.5MM this year and then $9.5MM in the next two years with a $12.5MM club option for 2026 with a $1MM buyout. If the Yanks want to get this deal off the books, they should probably do it in the next few months. Then again, Hicks has been pretty open about his frustrations with his reduced role of late, speaking to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic about it recently. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind a change of scenery that results in more playing time.

LeMahieu has already surpassed the 10-year service time mark and is in his fifth campaign as a Yankee. His current deal, which runs through 2026, affords him full no-trade protection already.

Machado has over 10 years of service and is in his fifth campaign as a Padre. He already has full no-trade via his contract, which runs through 2033.

Pressly has been with the Astros since July of 2018, meaning he’ll reach five years with the club this summer. He also came into the year with his service time at 9.039, meaning he’ll get to 10 years in August. Pressly has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball during his time in Houston and has twice agreed to an extension with the club, so a trade doesn’t seem especially likely. His current deal goes through 2024 with a vesting option for 2025.

Yelich is in his sixth season as a Brewer and will get to 10 years of service this season, but it’s a moot point since he has a full no-trade clause in his extension, which runs through 2028 with a mutual option for 2029.

Could Gain 10-and-5 Under Current Contract

Acuna came into this season with just under five years of service time, meaning he won’t get to the 10-year mark until early in the 2028 season. His extension runs through 2026 with two club options. He’s one of the best players in the league and is underpaid on his deal, so Atlanta won’t be looking to deal him unless they fall way out of contention between now and then.

Albies has over five years of service and will get to 10 years in 2027. His extension goes through 2025 with a pair of club options. Similar to Acuna, he’s an excellent player who is on a club-friendly deal, meaning he won’t be a trade candidate unless something horrible happens to the team’s long-term fortunes.

Arenado will cross ten years of service here in 2023 but it’s only his third season as a Cardinal, meaning he’ll have 10-and-5 status after the 2025 season. That’s mostly just a footnote though, since Arenado’s extension with the Rockies came will full no-trade protection, which he waived to become a Cardinal. He seems quite content in St. Louis and chose not to opt-out of his deal at the end of 2022, even though he could have likely got more money on the open market.

Báez came into this season with his service at 7.089, meaning he’ll get to 10 years about halfway into the 2025 season. This is just his second year as a Tiger, meaning he’ll get to 10-and-5 status after 2026, when he will have one year left on his six-year deal. That contract affords Báez limited no-trade protection, which allows him to block trades to 10 teams each year, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Báez can also opt out after this year, though that doesn’t seem to be a strong possibility based on his performance as a Tiger thus far.

Berríos comes into this season with his service time at 6.044, which puts him in line to get to 10 years late in the 2026 season. He’ll also get to five years with the Blue Jays at the end of July in that year, since he was acquired from the Twins at the deadline in 2021. His extension, which runs through 2028, affords him an opt-out after that 2026 season and gives him an eight-team no-trade list, per Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star.

Betts has a service count of 8.070, meaning he’ll get to 10 years in the middle parts of next year. He’s been with the Dodgers since 2020, meaning he’ll get to 10-and-5 at the end of the 2024 season. Given his excellent production on a consistent competitor like the Dodgers, he doesn’t stand out as a trade candidate anyway, unless something changes drastically. His extension runs through 2032.

Bogaerts only just joined the Padres, but his 11-year deal means he’ll be a 10-and-5 guy after 2027. That doesn’t really matter since he has a full no-trade clause on his deal anyway, making it likely he’s a Padre through 2033.

Bryant is in just his second campaign as a Rockie but will be a 10-and-5 guy after 2026. He already has a full no-trade clause in his contract, which runs through 2028.

Buxton already has a full no-trade clause on the extension he and the Twins signed in November of 2021. He has between six and seven years of service time and will pass 10 years in 2026, with his deal running through 2028.

Castillo came into this season with his service time at 5.101, putting him in line to get to 10 years a couple of months into 2027. He’ll also get to the five-year mark with the Mariners midway through that season, having been acquired in July of 2022. His contract runs through 2027 with a vesting/club option for 2028. He has full no-trade protection on that deal but only for the first three years, which starts this year. That means his ability to block a trade will be gone at the end of the 2025 season but return in late July 2027.

Cole will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but won’t have five years as a Yankee until the end of 2024. It’s a moot point anyway since his contract, which runs through 2028, gives him full no-trade protection. He can opt out after 2024 but the team can void that by triggering a club option for 2029.

Contreras has over six years of service time and will pass the 10-year mark in 2026. Since he just signed with the Cardinals, he won’t have five years with the club until the end of 2027. That will be the last guaranteed season of the five-year deal, though there’s a club option for 2028.

Correa will get to 10 years of service in 2025 but won’t have five years as a Twin until after 2026. His 10-and-5 status is a footnote anyway, since he has a full no-trade clause already.

Cronenworth has been with the Padres since the start of 2020, meaning he came into this year with exactly three years of service time. He won’t get to 10 years until the end of the 2029 campaign but he just signed an extension with the club that runs through 2030. He has an eight-team no-trade clause on that deal.

Darvish has over 11 years of service time now but won’t have five years as a Padre until after 2025. He recently signed an extension that runs through 2028, which affords him full no-trade protection.

deGrom only just joined the Rangers on a five-year deal, though there’s a conditional option for 2028. It’s a moot point anyway since he already has a full no-trade clause in the deal.

Devers came into this season with his service clock at 5.070, meaning he’ll get to the 10-year mark midway through 2027. His extension, which runs through 2033, does not give him any no-trade rights. It seems unlikely that the Sox would try to move Devers, since he seemed to be the one superstar they were intent on keeping while trading Betts and letting Bogaerts get away. But if something changes years down the road and they start considering a Devers deal, it would get harder after his 10-and-5 rights kick in.

Despite being on the injured list and likely to miss all of 2023, this will be the fifth season as a Met for Diaz. He’ll get to 10 years of service in 2026 but has full no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2027 with an option for 2028. He can opt out after 2025.

Flores will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but won’t have five years as a Giant until after 2024. That’s the last guaranteed year of his extension, but there’s a dual option for 2025. Flores will have a $3.5MM player option and, if he declines, the club will have a $8.5MM option.

Freeland came into this year with a service count of 5.144, meaning he’ll get to 10 years early in 2027. His extension is only guaranteed through 2026, though there’s a $17MM player option for 2027, which is contingent on Freeland tossing 170 innings in 2026. The Rockies rarely trade their core players even when it’s fairly logical to do so, but it’s possible this could become noteworthy as the contract winds down.

Freeman already has over 12 years of service time but is in just his second season as a Dodger. He’ll have 10-and-5 rights after 2026, when his deal will have one year and $27MM remaining on it.

Franco came into 2023 with his service time at just 1.104, meaning he won’t get to 10 years until midway through 2031. His deal goes through 2032 with a club option for 2023. Most teams wouldn’t give much thought to trading a face-of-the-franchise player like Franco, but the Rays are always frugal and already went down this road once. As mentioned up top, they dealt Longoria just as his 10-and-5 rights were about to kick in. Franco doesn’t have any no-trade protection but would get an extra $3MM if he’s ever dealt.

Gimenez has just 2.106 as a service time count, but he just signed an extension that runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030. He’ll cross the 10-year service mark during that 2030 campaign.

Harris didn’t even play a full season last year but was awarded a full year of service time anyway by winning Rookie of the Year. He signed an eight-year extension with the club that runs through 2030 with a couple of club options after that. He’ll be a 10-and-5 guy at the end of the 2031 campaign if the first of those options is triggered.

Hayes comes into 2023 with his service clock at 2.075, putting him on a path to reach 10 years during the 2030 campaign. His deal with the Pirates is only guaranteed through 2029 but there’s a club option for 2030.

Hendricks had a service time count of 8.081 at the start of this season, meaning he’ll get to 10 years midway through 2024. This is the last guaranteed year of his extension, with a $16MM club option for 2024 with a $1.5MM buyout. Hendricks has struggled in the past two seasons and hasn’t yet pitched this year after suffering a capsular tear in his throwing shoulder last year. It seems unlikely that option gets picked up unless he gets healthy and has a tremendous showing in the second half of this year.

Judge has a full no-trade clause in his mega-deal with the Yankees, and it’s hard to fathom the club wanting to deal him anyway. He will get to 10 years of service time in 2026.

Lindor started this year with a service count of 7.113, meaning he will get to 10 years of service in 2025. That will also be his fifth year as a Met. He currently has a 15-team no-trade clause as part of his extension, which runs through 2031.

Marte has been with the Diamondbacks since 2017 and will surpass the 10-year service mark in 2026, with his service clock at 6.162 coming into this year. His extension runs through 2027 with a club option for 2028.

McCullers has spent his entire career as an Astro and will cross the 10-year threshold in 2025, coming into this year with a service tally of 7.140. The extension he signed with the club in 2021 runs through 2026 and has limited no-trade protection.

McMahon has been with the Rockies for his entire career with a service tally of 5.006 coming into this year. That puts him on pace to get to 10 years of service in 2027, the final year of the extension he recently signed with the club. He could potentially earn opt-out opportunities after 2025 and 2026 based on MVP voting.

Murphy came into this year with his service time at 3.029, meaning he won’t get to 10 years until 2029. His recent extension with Atlanta goes through 2028 with a club option for 2029.

Musgrove will get to 10 years of service time in 2026, which will be his sixth as a Padre. His extension, which runs through 2027, gives him a full no-trade clause through 2026. He only has limited no-trade protection in 2027 but he’ll be a 10-and-5 guy by then.

Nimmo has been a Met for his entire career and will get to the 10-year service mark in 2026, but he has a full no-trade clause on his contract anyway.

Olson has a service tally of just 5.103 and isn’t slated to cross the 10-year mark until 2027. His extension with Atlanta runs through 2029 with a club option for 2030.

Ozuna came into this season with his service clock at 9.124, meaning he’ll be at 10 years in May. However, this is just his fourth year with Atlanta, meaning he won’t be a 10-and-5 guy until after 2024. That’s the final guaranteed year of his deal, though there is a $16MM club option for 2025. It’s highly unlikely he’s still with the club at that time, since this deal is generally considered to be underwater both due to his poor performance and off-field issues. It’s already been speculated that the club may release him before the deal is finished, making it hard to envision a trade or the option eventually being picked up.

Ramírez has spent his entire career with Cleveland and will get to 10 years of service in 2024. It’s a moot point as his extension, which runs through 2028, has a full no-trade clause.

Realmuto is currently in his fifth year with the Phillies and had a service count of 8.038 coming into the year. That puts him on pace for 10-and-5 status towards the end of next year. His deal doesn’t have any no-trade protection, but he does get a $1MM bonus every time he’s dealt. He’s under contract through 2025, which will be his age-34 season.

Rendon will get to 10 years of service here in 2023 but it’s just his fourth season as an Angel. He’ll get to 10-and-5 status after 2024 but already has full no-trade protection on his contract, which runs through 2026.

Riley came into 2023 with a service count of 3.138, which puts him on track to pass 10 years early in 2029. His deal runs through 2032 with a club option for 2033.

Rodón will get to 10 years of service in 2025 and then have five years as a Yankee after 2027, when he’ll have one year left on his six-year deal. The 10-and-5 status will be irrelevant, however, as he already has full no-trade protection.

J-Rod has just the one year of service time so far but recently signed a convoluted mega-extension that could potentially end up lasting 18 years. He has full no-trade protection as part of that, making his eventual 10-and-5 status moot.

Ruiz had just 1.064 as a service count coming into this year but recently agreed to a lengthy extension with the Nats that runs through 2030 with two club options after that. He’s currently on pace for 10-and-5 rights in 2031.

Seager will get to 10 years of service in 2025 but won’t have five years as a Ranger until the end of 2026. He has limited no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2031.

Semien will get to 10 years of service in 2024 but won’t have five years in Texas until after 2026. He doesn’t have any no-trade protection on his deal, which runs through 2028.

Senzatela came into this year with a service tally of 5.106, putting him on pace to get to 10 years a few months into 2027. His extension with the Rockies is only guaranteed through 2026, but there’s a $14MM club option for 2027.

Springer will get to 10 years of service early in 2024 but is in just his third season as a Blue Jay right now. His six-year deal runs through 2026 and he’ll get 10-and-5 status after 2025. He currently has an eight-team no-trade clause.

Story will get to 10 years of service after 2025 but won’t have five years with Boston until after 2026. His deal, which runs through 2027, does not have any no-trade protection. He can opt out after 2025, but the team can void that by preemptively exercising an option for 2028.

Swanson only just joined the Cubs on a seven-year deal. By the end of 2027, he’ll have five years with the club and be well beyond 10 years of service, though it’s a moot point since he already has full no-trade protection.

Tatis has between three and four years of service, putting him on track for 10-and-5 in 2029, but he already has full no-trade protection on his extension which runs through 2034.

Taylor came into this year with a service count of 7.037, putting him on pace to get to 10 years late in the 2025 season. He’s already been with the Dodgers since partway through the 2016 campaign. His contract is guaranteed through 2025 with a club option for 2026. He doesn’t currently have any no-trade protection, but he does get a $2MM assignment bonus each time he’s dealt, and a trade would also increase the value of his option.

Turner just joined the Phillies but will get to 10-and-5 status after 2027. Like many others on the list, that designation doesn’t really matter for him, since his 11-year deal already affords him full no-trade protection.

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