It seems some LAD fans are more fearful of opposing teams starting pitching rather than being confident in the Dodgers rotation. Because they should have the best record in the NL, they will only need 4 starting pitchers. Andrew Heaney is not going to be one of the 4 starting pitchers in the playoffs. If Tony Gonsolin comes back to pitch at a championship level (as we have been advised that he will), then the Dodgers have 5 more than competent and ultra-competitive starters, and one of them can be moved to the bullpen or be a piggyback for one of the four.
There are currently 9 relievers on the current roster. There are 6 others that could conceivably be added to the roster before the end of September. Three on the 15 day IL, and three on the 60 day IL. And all 6 are in various stages of returning.
Pitchers not recovering from TJ surgery who are on rehab assignments are limited to 30 days. After that rehab period, a decision needs to be made as to the status of the injured/rehabbed player. With one exception;
“With approval of the MLB Commissioner, if a player incurs a new (different) injury or illness or suffers a recurrence of the previous injury or illness while on a Minor League Rehabilitation Assignment, the player must be recalled from his Rehab Assignment and remain inactive for at least five days (for “position players”) or seven days (for “pitchers” and for “two-way players”) before starting another Minor League Rehab Assignment.”
There are three players who are currently on rehab assignments:
- Victor Gonzalez – Rehab assignment up September 14
- Danny Duffy – Rehab assignment up September 18
- Tommy Kahnle (pictured) – Rehab assignment up September 22
Unless VGon is approved as re-injured he will need to be activated on September 14. I do not think there is any question that he will be activated. That means that some player on the 40 man will be designated for assignment. I suspect that will be Heath Hembree.
It is entirely possible that Tommy Kahnle could be released rather than DFA another player on the 40 man. He is a FA after this year, and his utility will be marginalized compared to those who have been there all year. It is highly unlikely that he would make the playoff roster, meaning to have him for two weeks when the season is wrapped up, it would make more sense to pitch those pitchers that can (or should) make the playoff roster.
Danny Duffy is in limbo. He has a team option ($7MM) for 2023. I think the Dodgers should pitch him to determine if he could be a viable consideration for 2023, even if he (probably) will not be on the playoff roster. It would necessarily mean that a player currently on the 40-man roster would have to have his status changed. Either a player will be DFA’d or a player will be moved to the 60 day IL. I suspect David Price could be moved to the 60 day to make room for Duffy (or Kahnle).
Yency Almonte threw off the mound on August 31, and was scheduled to throw again on September 6. If all goes well, he would go out on a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. Yency could ultimately spend the remainder of the season of a rehab until the end of the season. Of course, if his rehab is successful, he is one pitcher the Dodgers would love to have available in the playoffs. He is eligible to come off the IL immediately.
Brusdar Graterol is eligible to be activated on September 15. His MRI was clean, so he has begun a throwing program. Do the Dodgers feel comfortable that he could be a playoff reliever? If yes, he could be activated with or without a rehab.
David Price could be activated on September 19, sent out for a rehab for up t0 30 days, or transferred to a 60 day IL to make room on the 40-man. I have no insight as to where the LAD thinking is at on this.
It was reported that Tony Gonsolin would miss only 2 or 3 starts. He has already missed 2 starts, and his 3rd start would be either September 10 or 11. If the Dodgers want to be conservative, they could pass Gonsolin’s next scheduled start. With the open date, and five starting pitchers on the active roster, the open date could serve as a 6th pitcher for a 6-man rotation. The Dodgers have another open date a week later.
If Gonsolin proves to be healthy for the playoffs, two of the starting pitchers could move to the bullpen.
If the pitchers are right, Yency Almonte, Brusdar Graterol, Victor Gonzalez, and potentially Danny Duffy and Tommy Kahnle would make a very good bullpen, extremely formidable. As we get closer to the October 11 Game 1 of the NLDS.
Courtesy of Eric Stephen and Ryan Walton – truebluela.com
Chris Taylor’s past 50 games: three homers, 77 strikeouts
He looks sooo lost at the plate.
I think this is a lost year for CT3.
Muncy has now climbed over the .700 OPS and is within .007 of Bellinger for Batting Average. Watching Belli not take charge of a fly ball in left center that he could have easily caught, that dropped between Gallo and Belli has to get one to thinking. Belli is out there for defense, and I cannot remember seeing the last good defensive play by Belli. I would not be surprised if his offensive woes is affecting his defense. Just an observational query, not an indictment.
The great fielders make the good play seem routine.
Yes, and they do not let balls drop when they are supposed to take charge. He ran into Mookie earlier, and now backs away from Mookie, Gallo, and Trayce. This is not the same Bellinger that was dynamic in the 2020 playoffs against SD. He is regressing both offensively and defensively. That is my opinion thru observation, and I know many do not believe that is worth a whole lot.
Worth a lot to me!
Thank you. Much appreciated!
I’m ready to give any of those mentioned a chance to start games. Our pitching roster has been a merry-go-round for a good part of the year. We’ve only had 11 different starters, I figured early at least 15 would start, so, I need 4 new guys to start at least 1. Probably won’t see that. We’ve got 11 on the IL, 10 of them pitchers. I don’t know for sure but I’d guess every team shows similar numbers.
Scherzer out. Bummer for the Mets. Braves caught ‘em. Atlanta is a scary group.
Max Scherzer has been placed on the 15 day IL retroactive to September 4, due to “fatigue” in his left oblique…the same oblique he strained earlier in the season and was shut down for 2 months. The Mets are hopeful he can come off the IL at then end of the 15 days.
The Braves have caught the Mets for 1st in the NL East. Since taking 2 of 3 from LAD, NYM has lost their last 3 games to bottom dwellers Washington (twice) and Pittsburgh (once), while only winning once. The Mets were up 10.5 games on June 1, and are now in a tie.
To be sure, the Braves are scary good, but do not sleep on the Cardinals. They are 26-8 since August 1. The Braves are 23-10 over the same time. NYM (21-14). LAD (25-9). Then there is NYY at 12-20. Since August 1, the Cardinals have the best record in MLB. The Dodgers face St. Louis in 2 weeks. The Cardinals have been on a roll since picking up Jordan Montgomery from NYY for Harrison Bader, a plus defensive CF with a questionable bat who still has not played for NYY. Sound like someone we know??? In 6 starts (36.2 IP), Montgomery is 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA. I wonder if AF/BG could have made a Jordan Montgomery for Cody Bellinger trade.
Interesting question, the possibility of a Bellinger for Montgomery trade.
Bader has better stats for the most part this year, but they certainly aren’t spectacular. Both have another year of control. Bader has been on the IL since late June and hasn’t even put on a Yanks uni yet.
Bader will earn 5 mil next year plus another 4 mil in possible bonuses. Belli will be in the 18-20 mil range.
So, my guess at an answer to your question is Yes, AF could have made a Belli for Montgomery trade had he been willing to pay down about half the money still owed him for this year and next. I’m not at all certain he would have been willing to do that.
I also expect to see Belli in a Yankee uniform before his career is over, although I couldn’t even begin to guess how successful he’ll be.
I wrote the above again believing the reports that Tony Gonsolin would miss only one more start, at the most. Then I got this:
https://twitter.com/DodgersViews/status/1567577444412014594?s=20&t=NHH8wt56pAK2rwtve5lbwg
and
Myself, I have no clue what the rotation or the bullpen is going to look like. Frankly, the Mets do not scare me at all, I think Atlanta is a bigger threat. Soto is getting booed in San Diego. Classy guys.
Line-up is very deep with Turner and Muncy finally regressing to their norms.
Rotation will be very deep if the clubs optimism is equally rewarded with Gonsolin. Should be fine even without him.
Can’t say I’m optimistic about Taylor, but I truly thought JT was done for a bit this season.
I’m more optimistic about CT3 finding his way by playoff time than I am Belli. Taylor has been a very streaky hitter ever since he got here, although he’s never had a bad streak last this long.
Just think of how good he’ll be when he finally turns it around just in time for our first post season game.
If Mookie, Trea, Freddie and Will can stay healthy, and JT and Max can stay fixed.
If we then add Lux in the 7 spot in the order, it almost won’t matter who bats 8 & 9.
And if we can choose between Trayce, Belli, Gallo and CT for those last two spots, chances are someone will produce.
Last 6 starts for da Mets’ Jacob deGrom:
8/7: Retired 17 in a row
8/13: Retired 16 in a row
8/18: Retired 12 in a row
8/25: Retired 13 in a row
8/31: Retired 12 in a row
Today: Retired 12 in a row
Nobody else in last 40 years has retired 12 in a row in more than 4 straight starts