The Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday reinstated outfielder Yasiel Puig from the 10-day disabled list (left hip contusion) and recalled left-handed reliever Scott Alexander and right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart from Triple-A Oklahoma City. To create room on the active roster, the Dodgers placed left-handed reliever Tony Cingrani on the 10-day DL (left shoulder inflammation) and optioned right-hander Yimi García and outfielder Alex Verdugo to OKC.
Puig, who will make the start in right field and bat seventh in Wednesday’s contest against the Diamondbacks, missed nine games due to a left hip contusion. He appeared in a rehab game last night with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout and played 7.0 innings in right field. Prior to going on the disabled list, the 27-year-old had gone 17-for-88 (.193) with 11 runs, five doubles, seven RBI and four stolen bases in 24 games with Los Angeles this season.
Alexander, 28, returns for his second stint with the big league club after appearing in 11 games with the Dodgers going 1-0 with a 6.35 ERA (8 ER/11.1 IP). In four games with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, he has gone 1-0 and has yet to allow a run in 4.0 innings of relief, while striking out five against just one walk.
Stewart, 26, will make his third stint with Los Angeles this season after last pitching for the Dodgers on May 6 against the Padres in Monterrey, Mexico, where he gave up one hit in an inning of relief. In two relief appearances with the Dodgers this season, he has allowed one run in 2.2 innings (3.38 ERA) and has struck out three against one walk. In four starts with Triple-A OKC this season, he has gone 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA (5 ER/18.2 IP) and holding hitters to a .200 average.
Cingrani, 28, last pitched in yesterday’s contest against the D-backs, tossing a scoreless inning of relief. In 18 games this season, he has gone 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA (9 ER/14.0 IP) and has struck out 22 batters against just four walks.
García, 26, appeared in four games with the Dodgers this season, going 0-1 with a 8.10 ERA (3 ER/3.1 IP) and striking out two against one walk. He pitched in last night’s game against Arizona, allowing three runs on two hits and recording his first loss of the season.
Verdugo, 21, appeared in nine games with Los Angeles this year, batting .265 (9-for-34) with three runs, four doubles and one RBI.
Lauren Douglas provided the information furnished in this report
Some interesting moves here. I especially applaud their bringing back Brock Stewart. I assume they’ve already told him to be at LAX bright and early tomorrow for his trip back to OKC. I wonder what the record is for most times optioned and recalled in a single season. My prediction for Brock for 2018: 35 times recalled, total innings pitched 3.2. Also thought it was interesting that Locastro stays and Verdugo goes. Not complaining about this as I think a number of reasons factored into it, just found it interesting. By the way, Locastro is third on the team in batting avg., second in OPS and first in OBP. What’s that, you think 7 at bats is too small a sample size to draw any conclusions? And who among us is surprised that Cingrani is now on the DL? That was an obvious call from watching him over the past few appearances. Santana 11 k’s in 6 innings for Tulsa last night. Dennis, you need to start a pool for date he’ll be promoted to OKC and date of his first appearance in Dodger Blue.
I think they better take their time with Santana. Last thing they want him to do is throw out his arm by rushing himself. Remember it wasn’t long ago that he was a shortstop.
Hmmmmmmm. If we had a guy who could both play shortstop and be a starter, we could move CT-3 back to center, save a roster spot and have a story to compete with the Angels. Let’s do it!
Brock Stewart can play some shortstop, too. He didn’t convert until his junior year of college.
Sorry, can’t do that. It might mean they would have to keep him in L.A. for 2 days instead of the normal 1.
Could someone please explain to me the theory behind leading off every game with Taylor when his OBP is .291. Not his batting avg, his OBP. Barnes, who is starting tonight has an OBP 109 points higher than Taylor’s. Joc, although not starting tonight, has an OBP almost 100 points higher, Utley about 60 points higher. Taylor’s slugging pct isn’t bad so why not hit him 6th or 7th. Don’t tell me they keep him at the top of the lineup so he can steal bases. He’s had 4 attempts this year and been caught on 3 of them. I’m a big fan of his, but take some of the pressure off of him until he gets things together and move him down where his lack getting on base won’t be so obvious.
Replying to my own post here. Tonight’s (Fri.) lineup just posted. Utley leading off, Joc batting second, CT3 batting 6th. Two points are obvious: 1) Roberts reads TBPC and listens to the advice we give him, 2) If we lose again tonight, it’s my fault.
If the Dodgers end up losing this series to the Reds, I think there’s a bigger problem at hand than what most people perceive.
It’s the Baez syndrome, keep marching Taylor out there, at lead off, so they show there confidence in him, Whether he is doing the job or not.
Actually I’d like to have them treat Taylor the way they are now treating Baez. If you’ll notice, they’re using him in lower leverage situations recently. The sad fact is that at present we have no good leadoff hitter. My mention of Joc, Barnes and Utley yesterday is hardly a great solution. Has anyone heard anything about Toles? It’s been almost a month now and he still isn’t back in the OKC lineup.
That sounds a little more snarky than I meant it.
The original eta on Toles was late may, haven’t heard anything else.
Your punishment for being overly snarky is to buy a one-way ticket for Toles to L.A. as soon as he comes off the DL. Unfortunately hammie injuries are very unpredictable. Hopefully he’ll be ready in the next couple of weeks.
Just heard that Toles had a setback in his rehab. No timetable for return. Probably wouldn’t make a difference at this point anyway. We just lost to the mighty Reds 4-1. I think I’ve diagnosed our problem. We can’t beat the good teams, and we can’t beat the bad teams, and we can’t beat the teams in between.