The Dodgers on Thursday morning recalled right-handed pitcher Yimi García and infielder/outfielder Tim Locastro from Triple-A Oklahoma City, while optioning infielder/outfielder Breyvic Valera to OKC and placing left-handed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain.
García, 26, will make his return to the big league mound for the first time in two years after recovering from right elbow surgery, which he underwent on October 25, 2016. The right-handed reliever appeared in eight games with the OKC Dodgers this season, posting a 3.52 ERA (3 ER/7.2 IP) and striking out seven batters without issuing a walk. The Dominican Republic native, who missed the entire 2017 season, has gone 3-5 with one save and has posted a 3.12 ERA over 76 career games (one start) in three big league seasons with the Dodgers (2014-16). He has held hitters to a .215 career average in the Majors, including limiting left-handed batters to a .186 mark, and has also struck out 81 batters against just 12 walks in 75.0 big league innings.
Locastro, 25, has appeared in 21 games with Triple- A Oklahoma City this year, slashing .342 (25-for-73)/.448/.507 with 20 runs, five doubles, two triples, one home run, six RBI and five stolen bases. The speedy utility man has seen majority of his time in center field this season (13 games), but has also appeared in left field (five games) and at second base (two games) with the OKC Dodgers. Locastro saw his first career big league action last year with Los Angeles, appearing in three games and going 0-for-1 with a stolen base. He split the majority of 2017 with Double-A Tulsa (96 games) and Triple-A Oklahoma City (31 games), posting a .308/.383/.454 slashline with 31 doubles, four triple, 10 home runs, 40 RBI and 34 stolen bases in 127 combined games. Over six professional seasons with the Blue Jays (2013-15) and the Dodgers (2015-18) organizations, the Auburn, New York native has hit .295 with 96 doubles, 18 triples, 25 home runs, 177 RBI and 148 stolen bases along with a .375 on-base percentage in 500 career minor league games.
Ryu, 31, exited last night’s contest against the Diamondbacks after 1.1 innings with a left groin strain. The South Korea native has started the season strong going 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA (7 ER/29.2 IP) and limiting the opposition to a .154 average, while striking out 36 batters against 10 walks in six starts.
Valera, 26, has appeared in three games with the Dodgers this season over two stints, going 0-for-3 with one walk.
(Lauren Douglas furnished the majority of information in this report)
For those of us who keep thinking that this team will get untracked at some point, we need to consider something: their regular season record beginning Sept 1st through the end of the season last year was 12-17. Their 2018 record from opening day through last night was 13-17. That represents 59 games, or roughly 36% of a full season and during that span their winning percentage is .424. Remember our good friends the Giants who were great for the first half of 2016 and haven’t been the same ever since. I’m not saying that we have a direct comparison because their team was/is a lot older, but the fact that we have better than a third of a season of mediocre play may not be a temporary glitch. Yes, our play this year can be partially explained by injuries to key personnel but as I recall last September we were pretty much at full strength. The Dodgers were 10-5 in the playoffs so this might be a team which doesn’t do well when they feel there is nothing on the line. That’s a dangerous game plan, however, because the next time they look up, the D’backs might be out of sight.
About time Locastro got called up! Guy’s got nothing left to prove down in the minors anymore and should look to get his big-league career underway from this point onward. Dodgers should best utilize him at 2B (his primary position) while filling in at other spots on the field when needed. In terms of his bat, he’s a pure top-of-the-order hitter who has a knack for working counts and getting on base by any means necessary. He might also be the smartest baserunner in the entire organization, I mean the guy hardly makes any mistakes on the basepaths and someone that other players like Pederson and Puig could learn a lot from in that particular area. Garcia is another plus. If he’s past his TJ rehab, he’ll contribute immediately. Reminds me of a righty version of Alexander, when he’s on he induces lots of grounders as well a a his fair share of Ks.
If you want to learn a little more about Locastro, this is a must-read: https://thinkbluepc.com/2016/12/21/dodgers-prospects-a-closer-look-at-tim-locastro/
Nothing in there that I already didn’t know about regarding him, but thanks anyway. I did like that one part where the Lugnuts broadcaster even mentions the very things I brought up in terms of what Locastro brings to the table. Wish the Dodgers had put him on the postseason roster last year, he could’ve really helped them out in so many ways…