The Los Angeles Dodgers have not have a very good showing in Spring Training as a whole, although that won’t necessarily translate into a bad start to the season.
Some individuals have had an impressive Spring Training, however, and have worked their way onto the Opening Day roster.
Monday, the Dodgers announced that Edwin Ríos has made the Opening Day roster. While this is his third time doing so, this year was in jeopardy as Rios was fighting his way back from shoulder surgery. Manager Dave Roberts said that he has been impressed with Rios’s confidence this spring, and the group was excited to have him.
Sent down to minor league camp on Monday were Kevin Pillar, Yency Almonte, Reyes Moronta, Shane Greene, Tomás Telis, Tony Wolters, Eddy Alvarez, and Stefen Romero. On Sunday, the Dodgers had announced that they had sent Jake Lamb to minor league camp.
Pillar posted on his Twitter account that he was excited for the road ahead, even if he was starting the season in Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Lamb had a strong showing this spring, and was thought by some to be headed to breaking camp with the big club. Instead he will be also starting the season in Triple-A, with his eye on making it back to the majors. Both Lamb and Pillar would have to be added to the 40-man roster for that to happen. Lamb has an opt-out option in both May and July.
The Dodgers are almost set with their Opening Day roster, and are just deciding on who the final bullpen pieces will be. They plan on opening the season with 12 position players and 16 pitchers, as teams are allowed to have a 28-man roster through May 1st due to the shortened Spring Training schedule.
Dave Roberts also stated that while the team knows who the five starters will be, after Walker Buehler, they are still not sure of the order.
“I think that we’re set as far as the five guys that are gonna start the games, I just don’t know what order,” Roberts told reporters on Monday. “I know that Walker’s gonna start game one, but as far as two, three, four, and five, I just don’t see where we’re gonna be with that. Heaney will not be pitching in Colorado, but as far as the other three guys, we’re still trying to sift through.”
He went on to state that the thought was more matchup based, and the coaching staff is looking to see how Julio Urías and Tony Gonsolin come out of their outings Monday night against the Los Angeles Angels in game two of the Freeway Series.
Doc also discussed where relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle is in his ramping up after Tommy John surgery. He stated that Kahnle pitched an inning on the back fields at Camelback Ranch, was touching between 94 and 96 mph, and that his curve looked really good. The plan is to not rush him, and have him join the team near the end of April or beginning of May.
Should the Dodgers feel that they need to acquire some help at the deadline this year, they will have until August 2nd at 6pm EDT. The date has been moved back two days from the previous deadline of July 31st because of the later start to the season.
Dodgers play-by-play announcer Joe Davis has been tapped to replace Joe Buck on Fox as the play-by-play announcer for the World Series. This will not effect his duties with the Dodgers but would be a treat for Dodger fans should they return to the World Series again.
The Dodgers have one more game at home Tuesday against the Angels before their Spring Training ends and they head to Colorado to begin the 2022 season.
Happy for Rios. He obviously rehabbed very diligently to be back and playing well this Spring. Very impressive. Heaney has been scary! His continuing to allow the home run is the same issue he has had in the past. The coaches keep talking about his spin rate but does spin matter if it hangs over the plate?
We’re going to start with 16 pitchers in Colorado. If we leave out the 5 announced starters, that leaves 11 relievers.
We’ve been given to believe that Kahnle, Ferguson and Bickford probably won’t start the season on the active roster.
That leaves the following 11:
Anderson
Bruihl
Hudson
Kimbrel
Vgon
Bazooka
Phillips
Price
Treinen
Vesia
White
Cleavinger could replace one of the above. Phillips has no options remaining so if he doesn’t make it he’s gone from the organization.
Price could still decide he wants/needs more time and start on the IL.
Other than that, I think this is the bullpen we start the season with.
Wouldn’t want to have many bullpen games with that bunch. No surprises with the position players, though I’m not a rios fan, but they couldn’t send him down after what he’s done this xpring.
This team doesn’t look warmed up yet.
And warning up ain’t gonna happen the first week of this season.
That’s a lot of pitchers. Reeks of suffragium est nullum fiduciam.Yeah, I looked that up.
I took Kansas and laid the points for 100 push-ups. I’ll be busy today. Yes, it will take all day.
Spin rate. A lot of ways that is being used these days. Spin rate won’t get it done in Colorado. Location and change of speeds. My crystal balls are telling me there will be a lot of runs scored in Colorado, though they will be lucky on the weather front. They will be leaving town before it drops to 45. But, bring warm coats and umbrellas to Minnesota. What a way to open.
I don’t see how cold weather could make this team any colder than they’ve been in the warm weather of Az. Maybe they just need a good jolt of sub 50 degree weather to wake up.
Well, that’s the spirit Jefe. I see this group as a collection of Southern California pampered millionaires that play for a living. Cold weather ain’t their bag. And when was the last time you heard that saying?