Dodgers Expanded Roster: First Wave of Reinforcements Arrives in Arizona

Published on by Dennis Schlossman

ross-stripling-dodgers

It isn’t an overwhelming number of players, but the first wave of September roster reinforcements has arrived in Arizona ahead of the series finale against the Diamondbacks on Sunday.

A few hours before game time, the Dodgers announced that they reinstated right-handed reliever Dylan Floro, infielder David Freese and righty swingman Ross Stripling from the 10-day injured list.

Stripling will get Sunday’s start on the mound for the Dodgers. He has been out since July 24 with a combination of a strained neck and biceps tendinitis. He’s expected to pitch two or three innings with rookie right-hander Dustin May following at some point to make his second big league relief appearance.

Prior to his injury, Strip made 26 appearances—12 of which were starts. He has posted a 3.64 ERA and a 3.93 FIP with 76 strikeouts over 76-2/3 innings of work.

Freese returns to action after missing over five weeks with a left hamstring strain. He immediately slots into Sunday’s starting lineup, as he’s slated to play first base and bat second. The 36-year-old veteran has a .300/.399/.579 slash line in 163 plate appearances this season and could see a decent workload while Max Muncy remains on the injured list with a small wrist fracture.

Floro has been dealing with a left intercostal strain and has made just one big league appearance since August 1. He made a rehab appearance with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday, tossing eight pitches in one perfect inning. The 28-year-old Merced native is 4-3 with a 3.89 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 39 appearances this season.

According to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register, more players will be added after the Pacific Coast League season ends Tuesday. However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said no decision on Gavin Lux’s status has been made. The Dodgers have indicated Lux will join the team for September either on the active roster—he is currently not on the 40-man roster—or in an internship situation like Will Smith last year.

Sunday’s lineup vs. lefty Young:

  • Pollock CF
  • Freese 1B
  • Turner 3B
  • Bellinger RF
  • Hernández LF
  • Taylor SS
  • Gyorko 2B
  • Martin C
  • Stripling P

 

 

37 thoughts on “Dodgers Expanded Roster: First Wave of Reinforcements Arrives in Arizona”

  1. Bellinger gets off the schnid with a clutch 9th inning bomb to tie the game, #43 for Cody. Neither Alexander nor White will return to the team this season. Scary moment for May. Luckily he walked off under his own power. Jansen had a clean 8th inning.

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    1. 4 solo home runs and some interesting bullpen work. You know, we could go 1 for September and win this Division. Just a matter of time.

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    2. That’s not happening Rich. You need to understand their process. They are seeing if the kid can be a help in the playoffs. That is the only reason he has come out of the pen twice. In his big league career he is going to be a starter. My assessment is that he is not really suited to be a bullpen guy, Gonsolin has done that job well a couple of times. May has been touched up for runs both times he has done it.The experiment should be over. Stewart and Stripling do not come close to having the tools this kid has. He would have gotten another loss, but that late comeback bailed him out. Good news about tomorrow’s game is that we get to see Lux. Bad news for me is that I have to watch the game on Root Sports and listen to the Rocks announcers. 89 wins. 4 shy of what they had last year. 39 games over .500, an 18 game lead with 23 left to play. 12 on the road and 11 at home. Giants lost Moronto for the year.

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      1. I would have traded Joc at the deadline. Probably would have cost us a number of wins by doing so. I’m sticking to my guns though and would like to see us move him this winter. I really don’t dislike him all that much. It’s just that his all or nothing approach drives me crazy. Give me Beaty for a season and let’s see what he has.

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      3. In games where Maeda or Gonsolin are starting, I think we should have them hit leadoff since both of them have a higher batting average than Joc (although I have to admit that his OBP is higher). Just trying to think outside the box here.

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      4. I wonder who would want Joc and how much they would be willing to give. I traded him when he still had a few years of team control. That ends next year. What also is approaching is the slide that begins after his peak years, which we are witnessing now. He’s 28 next April and a free agent at age 29. He can probably remain a 2 WAR player for a few more years, and ALL of that is offensive so an AL team might be interested. I would think AL GMs would prefer a DH that can hit both hand pitching, but, 2 WAR is worth something.

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      5. I don’t have any illusions that we could get a lot for Joc, but I think we need someone more consistent to play that position, so I would take whatever I could get for him just to clear an opportunity for a Beaty, a Peters or a free agent signing that would be an improvement. That said, I would be ready for Joc to have a great 2020 and make a fool of me while leading another team to a pennant.

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      6. My feeling is if they feel the need to move him, he would probably be part of a package deal maybe. Him and a lower level prospect for a shut down reliever might work. But 1-1 I do not think they get the same value back. They are loaded with outfield and infield prospects and players. A lot might depend on who they decide they want to keep more, Beaty, who is more versatile, or Joc, who is basically a one trick pony. Don’t forget Verdugo. I read an article yesterday about Andrew Toles. Nobody has seen or heard from him since he left the Dodgers facility in Arizona in July. Sad, the kid had a lot of tools this team could have used, like speed.

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      7. Do you get the idea that the team hasn’t heard from him either, or that they are just keeping quiet about what they have heard? Really a shame. He was a good player and apparently a good guy also. The guys in the clubhouse seem to have really liked him. I’m speaking in the past tense here. Maybe there’s still hope for the future.

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      8. From the article I read, the team has had no contact with Andrew. The initial report was that he was spending time with family. Nothing else was said. The story started because Toles had left his Dodge Charger in the team players parking lot. He got emailed, or tweeted that the car had cobwebs and dust and was looking like it had been abandoned. Not sure if it is still there, but he probably returned and picked it up after he left the AZ facility.

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    1. I get it Rich, but you are not running the team. They will play who they feel is necessary to win. Besides, he is not the first guy to get hit by a comeback liner. Usually it hits some other part of the body. That is the second time I can remember a Dodger pitcher getting hit in the head there though. I think it was Maeda who got nailed that last time. Worst one I heard about was the come backer that hit Herb Score. Gil McDougal hit it. Broke the orbital bone in his face. He never was the same pitcher after that. And don’t forget, rookies have excelled in some cases in the playoffs, or have you forgotten Steve Howe? May doesn’t even have a concussion. He was probably more scared out of his wits than anything else. The ball glanced off his glove before he was hit. Oh, capitalize that B on Bear there buddy. I am not lower case. Rios drove in 5 with a homer and double yesterday.

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      1. OK Bear, as an impartial arbiter of your discussion with Rich, I need to point out that your name here reads “bearone48” with a lower case B. One point for Rich.
        Every time I see a pitcher hit with a batted ball, I immediately think of Herb Score also. Maybe those guys need to wear football helmets while pitching.

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      2. Point taken and I will use the excuse that is was a typo! That would be novel…..I think some form of hard cap would be ideal. Before batting helmets were the norm, hitters used to wear a liner on the inside of their caps. You could barely detect it. But nothing is going to stop one to the face. Zimmer had a plate in his scull as a result of being hit by a pitch. A couple of years ago if you remember a pitcher for the Padres came out of the pen wearing a cap that looked like it was 3 sizes too big. It was experimental I think, and meant to protect pitchers from come back liners. Worse hit batter I have ever seen was Tony Conigliaro. He got hit by Jack Hamilton of the Angels and it basically ended his career. It is surprising that only one player in all the years baseball has been played professionally has died as a result of being hit by a pitch. Fouls into the dugouts have wreaked havoc a few times. There was a minor league first base coach who died after being hit with a line drive. That’s why the coaches are required to wear helmets now.

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  8. As far as Toles is concerned his career is almost certainly over. It’s a shame because he was all star talented. We do have a future in LF though already on the roster. Have we already forgotten about Alex Verdugo? He may not come back this year but LF is his next year.

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    1. Unless they decide to put him in center and move Pollock to left. Although I think Pollock is a decent outfielder I don’t see him as anywhere near exceptional. Verdugo is younger, possibly faster and definitely has the better arm. Maybe the front office feels Pollock’s routes are better but I really wouldn’t mind them switching the two and making Verdugo the center fielder (assuming Belli stays in right).

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      1. How about that Dennis. Confirmation that the Dodgers actually read this blog. I guess they figure it’s easier to just read my suggestions here rather than call me direct.
        I wonder if this is due to a slight injury with Pollock or if they’ve finally realized he isn’t the center fielder they thought they were signing. Certainly doesn’t mean he can’t provide good value as a left fielder…………………..or he might be back in center tomorrow. Anyone know how many games CT3 has started in center this year?

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  9. I’ll never figure out how Doc puts together his lineups. Joc at leadoff again. I guess we aren’t going to change his mind on that one. I am glad to see Lux hitting 8th. Although he may very well be our leadoff hitter next year, he’ll have enough pressure tonight just being in the lineup, so let him hit 8th, at least for his first few games.

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    1. B.S.S. Jefe. Blind Squirrel Strategy. The more at bats he gets, the more likely he will run into one. Plus, he’s OPS’n 1.200 lifetime against Colorado. (I made that last part up. It’s actually .800 something but who’s gonna know?)

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      1. Supposedly for “unspecified disciplinary reasons”. In case we need an extra spot on the 40-man roster that might be a good place to start.

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      3. I guess Lux took White’s spot, but there are definitely others on the 40-man who are probably looking over their shoulder right about now and telling their agents to start exploring other opportunities. We have some good prospects to protect from the Rule 5 this winter and that will mean cutting loose some of the guys we’ve been carrying.

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  10. The game is in LA Scoop, so makes no difference and he is in there because all 28 of his dingers are against RHP and his ops.

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    1. Yep. Colorado in LA. Joc hits Rockie pitching like I hit the weights – every now and then.

      I’ll finish that sentence for you….. and his ops is 200 points higher against osp. (opposite side pitching). Since I finished that for you, it means you made that little diddy up. Nicely done small b bear.

      Speaking of that, I’ve known you quite a while as Big B Bear. Why did you change it?

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      1. I didn’t change it. I just do not use it for a username. Actually I forgot to capitalize it when I first signed up. Joc now has 30 dingers against RHP and made a great catch at the wall to rob Chuck Nasty of a homer. Joc leads the NL in leadoff HR’s,, which to answer Dennis’s question is why he is hitting leadoff.

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