Dodgers Recall Stewart, Reconstruct Battered Bullpen

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(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports)

Expected to make a number of roster moves heading into Wednesday’s contest at Colorado, the Dodgers recalled righty Brock Stewart, who will take the hill in a spot-start, left-hander Julio Urias and right-handed reliever Josh Fields, officially announcing the transactions just several hours before the first pitch.

Stewart, 24, made his MLB debut June 29 at Milwaukee and gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings to the Brewers in a 7-0 loss. He’s combined to go 9-3 with a 1.80 ERA in 18 minor league starts over 110 innings this year between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, while limiting opposing hitters to a .197 batting average with a 0.86 WHIP and striking out 121 against only 17 walks. Stewart last pitched on July 28, allowing one run on two hits over six innings in a win at Memphis, and is unbeaten since being promoted to Triple-A on June 10, going 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA in seven starts with OKC.

Fields, who was acquired on Monday in a deal with the Astros, has split the season between Houston, where he posted a 6.89 ERA in 15 appearances, and Triple-A Fresno, where he went 1-0 with one save, a 1.65 ERA, a .192 opponents’ batting average and a 0.65 WHIP over the course of 23 games. He last pitched on Saturday with Fresno at Reno, striking out two in one scoreless inning of relief. Overall, in 164 big-league games in four MLB seasons from 2013-16, the 30-year-old is 9-10 with nine saves and a 4.53 ERA, averaging better than a strikeout per inning in the bigs with 197 Ks in 159.0 innings.

Urías, 19, is fresh and is expected to join the relief corps. He last pitched on Sunday at Colorado Springs, striking out two in one scoreless inning of relief and is 5-1 with a 1.40 ERA in 11 games, including seven starts with Oklahoma City this season. His last big-league appearance was July 21 at Washington, when he allowed one run on five hits in a four-inning start, and he has posted a 1-2 record with a 4.69 ERA in nine big-league starts with the Dodgers this year.

To make room on the active roster, Los Angeles placed right-handed pitcher Louis Coleman and left-handed pitcher Adam Liberatore on the 15-day disabled list, and optioned outfielder Andrew Toles to Triple-A. Coleman, fighting right shoulder fatigue, ranks second on the club with 50 relief appearances this year, going 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA. Liberatore, diagnosed with left elbow inflammation, has a 2-0 record and ranks third among NL relievers with a 1.62 ERA in 44 games with the Dodgers this season. Toles made his Major League debut on July 8 and posted a .316 batting average with three doubles and an RBI in 16 games with the Dodgers.

In addition, reliever Josh Ravin was reinstated from the restricted list and optioned to Triple-A, while staff ace Clayton Kershaw was transferred to the 60-day disabled list retroactive to June 27.

(Jon Chapper furnished some information provided in this report)

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