The Dodgers took a hit on the field Tuesday night, falling to the Cardinals 13-8 and slipping to 82-56, but the bigger story around the club came from the roster shuffle that unfolded before the loss.
Los Angeles opened September with a rare trade, landing a right-handed pitcher from the Toronto Blue Jays. Even though the calendar has moved well past the trade deadline, clubs can still deal players who are not on 40-man rosters, and the Dodgers took advantage of that window.
The roster churn kept going with a six-player move that also brought an end to a veteran catcher’s time with the organization. At the same time, the Dodgers welcomed back Will Smith and Dalton Rushing behind the plate, adding a pair of catchers back into the mix after long absences.
Smith returned after nearly three months on the injured list, while Rushing was activated after about a month away with a slightly torn UCL. The Dodgers also got another boost in the pitching staff with Justin Wrobleski back from the injured list. He has now shifted to the bullpen after missing time last month with forearm tightness.
Alex Freeland was the other notable addition. The infielder was back on the active roster Tuesday night after last appearing at the MLB level toward the end of July. Before that, he had hit .230 across 73 big league games this season.
Freeland’s value has come from more than just the bat. He has shown strong plate discipline, chasing only 22.6% of pitches outside the strike zone, which lands him in the 88th percentile across MLB. His defense has also stood out, with an Outs Above Average mark of plus-three, good for the 85th percentile among qualified fielders.
With Tommy Edman moving to center field, Freeland is expected to handle a good share of the work at second base moving forward.
On the mound, the Cardinals jumped on Eric Lauer early, tagging him for seven earned runs in just three innings. He struck out two. Offensively, Mookie Betts and Tommy Edman both posted multi-hit games, and Betts drove in four runs.
The Dodgers also had other injury and roster updates circulating Tuesday. Roki Sasaki started throwing again while on the injured list, and Dave Roberts said Sasaki would keep throwing while dealing with the blister on his middle finger, which is being bandaged.
With 25 games left in the regular season, Freddie Freeman is five extra-base hits away from 1,000 for his career. Only 39 players in major league history have reached that mark.
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For Tibbs, it is the kind of frustrating pause that often comes with life on the cusp of a callup. The Dodgers were at least considering him, but chose to stay with players already on the 40-man roster to keep their roster flexibility intact, a practical decision that leaves the top prospect waiting a little longer even as his path to the majors still looks very real down the line. [Read more 🡒]