The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday morning activated outfielder Cody Bellinger and utilityman Zach McKinstry from the injured list after optioning outfielder DJ Peters and utilityman Sheldon Neuse back to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to a team announcement.
The 25-year-old Bellinger missed 46 games after being placed on the injured list on April 9 with what turned out to be a fracture of his left fibula. He played in five rehab games with Oklahoma City, going 4-for-20 with two homers and three RBI. Prior to the injury, he appeared in four games for the Dodgers at the beginning of the season, batting .211 with a double, triple and two RBI.
The 2019 National League MVP has been with the Dodgers five seasons, batting a combined .273 with 99 doubles, 123 homers and 320 RBI. The 2017 National League Rookie of the Year was originally chosen by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft out of Hamilton High School.
According to skipper Dave Roberts, Bellinger will return to the Dodgers’ starting lineup on Saturday and will start at center field. Bellinger also is expected to be in the lineup Sunday.
McKinstry, 26, was placed on the injured list with an oblique strain on April 23 and missed 33 games. In 17 contests with the Dodgers this year, McKinstry slashed .296/.328/.556 with three homers and 14 RBI. He hit .316 with two doubles and three walks in five rehab games for OKC.
In six minor league seasons in the Dodgers organization, McKinstry has hit a combined .271 (336-for-1242) with 30 homers and 149 RBI across five different levels.
On Friday, Roberts stated that McKinstry will return to the Los Angeles lineup on either Saturday or Sunday.
The 25-year-old Peters appeared in 18 games for the Dodgers, batting .192 with two doubles, one homer and four RBI. In five minor league seasons, he has hit .269 (463-for-1723) with 92 homers and 272 RBI. He was originally selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2015 draft out of Western Nevada College.
Neuse hit just .172 with three homers and four RBI in 28 games for the Dodgers. He was acquired from the Oakland Athletics on February 11 in a four-player trade that involved the Dodgers also receiving Gus Varland in exchange for left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek and minor league outfielder Cody Thomas.
Neuse has played in 53 big league games during his career, hitting .211 with four doubles, three homers and 11 RBI.
In other injury news, outfielder AJ Pollock is expected to rehab with Rancho Cucamonga beginning this weekend and rejoin the Dodgers on their upcoming road trip to Atlanta.
(Juan Dorado furnished some information provided in this report)
Does anyone know if Tsutsugo can be optioned or does he need to be DFA’d if he’s removed from the 26-man roster?
Tsutsugo has all three options remaining on his contract.
Thanks Dennis. At least when Pollock comes back they can work with him at OKC if they still think they can make progress on his swing. He seems to play a pretty decent left field so I hope they can get his bat working at some point. In the meanwhile, I’m still pushing for Ravelo, but once AJ comes back I really don’t know where they could put him, at least so long as Pujols is still here and he isn’t going anywhere soon.
In a perfect world where Bellinger, Betts, Pollock, Taylor and McKinstry are all healthy, there isn’t much need for Tsutsugo. So far, though, things haven’t been so perfect. I’m just wondering if they’ll carry Pujols the whole way through if he doesn’t perform.
DFA the bum..he is totally worthless. At least we do not have to watch in pain as Noisey flails away or turns the wrong frippen way on a fly ball. Peters has always been a swing and miss machine, but at least he got his one dinger.
Not totally worthless. He made an excellent running catch last night that saved a couple of runs.
One play does not a career make. I understand his value. I just do not think he has shown enough as a Dodger to be kept on the roster. They are playing right now with 12 position players and 14 pitchers. I think they need a boost on offense. Getting Belli and McKinstry back last night did not help, but it will in the long run. They have a couple of guys not carrying their weight offensively. Mookie being one of them. If he comes out of his slump and Belli produces at levels we know he can, the offense will improve.
Well that sucked.