We are already down to our last full week of spring training, which is going by quickly due to the shortened ramp up to the season starting.
With Opening Day fast approaching, the Dodgers have named their Opening Day Starter and for the first time since he started the season on the injured list in 2018, it’s not Clayton Kershaw.
Walker Buehler has been named the starter for the first game of the season, in Colorado against the Rockies. This marks the first time that Buehler will be the Opening Day starter in his career, but most likely will not be his last.
“It’s ceremonious,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said when he made the announcement Thursday, “and that’s a feather in his cap for what he’s done over the last few years to get to this point. We knew, we hoped it was going to happen at some point. And I just think the timing is perfect.”
The starting rotation after Buehler seems to be lining up as Julio Urías, Kershaw, Andrew Heaney, and Tony Gonsolin. For their parts, Urías and Gonsolin have looked good on the mound so far this spring. Heaney unfortunately has not.
In his outing on Sunday, Heaney allowed five earned runs in 3.0 innings of work, including a home run on the second pitch of the game. The first pitch of the game had resulted in a double. He got it together for a bit, striking out four but got into trouble again in the second and beginning of the fourth inning. His spring training ERA so far is 16.88 over 5.1 innings pitched with six total strikeouts.
Behind this five starters are Tyler Anderson and David Price. Anderson is currently slotted to be in a secondary starter role to start the season, and Price has yet to pitch in Spring Training.
Per Jon Heyman on Twitter, MLB is hoping to have a decision made on Trevor Bauer by April 16th, the date his current administrative leave expires. They hope to interview him beforehand, but no indications so far that they have. It is also unknown what condition Bauer is in to rejoin the rotation, if his suspension is lifted.
The Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts have agreed to a three year extension running through 2025, the team announced on Friday.
“To get it done before the season, it’s exciting for me and my family,” Roberts said. “You guys know how excited I am and what it means for me to put this uniform on every day, and really respecting the Dodger tradition and the people that came before me and what it means. For ownership, the organization, Andrew in particular, to entrust me going forward is everything.”
For anyone hoping that the Dodgers would reunite with Albert Pujols, that will not be happening. The slugger will be re-signing with his first team, the St Louis Cardinals on a one year contract. The Cards will be in Los Angeles September 23-25 and “Uncle Tío” will sure to receive a great reception.
The Dodgers made two more roster cuts on Sunday, sending LHP Darien Núñez and non-roster invite Beau Burrows to minor league camp.
On Monday, the San Diego Padres announced that they have acquired first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty from the Dodgers for RHP River Ryan. Beaty was designated for assignment last week to make room for Freddie Freeman on the 40-man roster. We wish Beaty the best of luck with his new team.
Beaty could have been traded to any one of 29 teams. The only two I didn’t want him going to were SF and SD. At some point during some season, you just know he’ll do something we regret. I really wish he would have gone to a lower division team which would probably have given him more playing time. Oh well, that’s baseball.
The guy we got back for him, River Ryan (love the name), is a 23 year old infielder/relief pitcher who was drafted in the 11th round of last year’s draft, so there’s not much data on him. It does seem, however, that he was a decent hitter in college. I read where the Dodgers plan to use him as a shortstop/2nd baseman and not as a reliever, although I guess that’s always subject to change.
And I just read that the dodgers will indeed use him as a pitcher (via Jack Harris LA Times).
Jeff do you have an alert set up for posts? You’re always so quick to comment (no judgement just asking!)
You beat me to it Andy.
Yes, I have an alert set up for posts and I just sit at my computer staring at the screen all day long.
I have no life! 🙂
I try to comment on every post because I figure if you guys take the time to write them I should at least let you know someone saw it.
And i definitely appreciate that!
Possible correction: now being reported that the Dodgers may use him as a pitcher, rather than position player.
Interesting trade. A Major League hitter for a 23 year old A league player who may or may not pitch.
Either our front office knows something about him that they like, or that’s the best offer they got. I sure hope it’s the former.
I think it must have something to do with spin.
Rotation set. Buehler, Urias, Kersh, Heaney and Gonsolin. Price and Anderson long men. Bench still being figured out. Why AF would do anything to help the Padres is beyond me. Reports say Machado has circled all the games against the Dodgers and declared it is going to be war. Well, I hope he loses all the battles. Classy move by the team once again renewing Toles contract to he can have the medical insurance he needs. I have to head out to California next month. My brother tore up both of his knees and is having surgery on one sometime this week. My sis needs me out there so he has a way to get to therapy.
Giants will not have Wade or Longoria for a while. Longoria is set to have surgery and will be in a cast for 10 days. Pederson looks to be their starting Left fielder.
Pederson and Wade have similar numbers. Longoria will be missed.