It would have been easy to picture James Tibbs III getting the call this September. The numbers he put up at Triple-A Oklahoma City made a loud case: 30 homers, 107 RBIs, 109 runs and a .409 OBP, production the Pacific Coast League hadn’t seen in 40 years.
But the Dodgers never had much room to play with. Their outfield was already set before they reached 100 wins in the regular season, and only once did Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages or Kyle Tucker land on the injured list. When Hernandez strained his hamstring in May, the Dodgers turned to Ryan Ward, who was already on the 40-man roster, instead of Tibbs, who was not.
That decision may end up helping Tibbs more than hurting him.
The looming lockout changes the calculus for every club, and the Dodgers are no exception. Once a lockout hits, team personnel - executives, coaches, athletic trainers, strength coaches, etc. - cannot contact players on the 40-man roster. Players on minor league contracts are not covered by that restriction, which means Tibbs and the rest of the Dodgers’ prospects not on the 40-man roster - basically everyone except for De Paula, for now - would still be able to stay in touch with the organization.
That gives Tibbs a clear advantage. The Dodgers do not need to protect him from the Rule 5 draft until next November, so there is no real reason to add him to the 40-man roster before then. He can still go through a normal spring training, and he could even report early to the Dodgers’ facility if he wants extra work.
There’s also the service-time piece. By keeping Tibbs in the minors, the Dodgers leave his clock at zero.
And as Katie Woo of The Athletic noted in a recent Reddit AMA, the approaching lockout has become a factor for teams that do not need to promote a prospect before Dec. 1.
So while fans wanted to see Tibbs in Los Angeles right away, the slower path may actually put him in a better spot when his first big league opportunity finally arrives.
In Other News...
Dodgers Fans Have A New Prospect Debate With A Fall Stars Twist
Major League Baseballs Fall Stars Game roster announcement gave Dodgers fans a fresh reason to keep an eye on the Arizona Fall League, with third baseman Chase Harlan and pitcher Luke Fox landing on the National League team. The showcase will be played Sunday at Salt River Fields and aired on MLB Network, giving the organization another chance to see two of its prospects on a bigger stage.
Now the debate shifts to who should join them, with fans voting on one more National League spot from a pool that includes Dodgers prospects Eduardo Quintero and Charles Davalan, along with Padres infielder Justin DeCriscio. For a player development system that has already put two names on the roster, the final choice adds a little extra intrigue for Dodgers followers who have been tracking the fall circuit closely. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Could Be Near A Tough Kik Hernndez Decision
Kik Hernndez has been one of the more familiar October pieces in the Dodgers recent run, a utility presence who has shown up in postseason after postseason since 2015 and given the club flexibility all over the diamond. Even with that track record, the offseason always has a way of forcing uncomfortable choices, and Hernndezs status is now part of that familiar roster churn as Los Angeles weighs how to reshape its bench and defensive depth.
One name that has surfaced in that conversation is Mauricio Dubon, the versatile defender most recently with the Atlanta Braves. Dubon would likely come at a higher salary, which only adds to the calculus for a Dodgers front office trying to balance value with familiarity, and while a move away from Hernndez looks increasingly possible, it is not yet official. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Could Lose A Bullpen Weapon To A Familiar Rival
The Dodgers have already made one major bullpen splash by landing Edwin Daz, and they are not likely to stop there as they keep looking for ways to deepen a roster built to chase another title. With Tarik Skubal expected to be a major winter target, Los Angeles is also being linked to a more immediate relief-market possibility in Padres left-hander Adrin Morejn, a pitcher who has quietly become one of the more interesting names in the division.
Morejn has been extended a qualifying offer by San Diego and has until November 17 to decide whether to take it or test free agency, which leaves the door open for a familiar rival to make a run at him. For the Dodgers, the appeal is obvious: pairing Morejn with Daz would give them another high-end bullpen look, while also turning a Padres weapon into part of the same late-inning mix that has long frustrated opponents in the National League West. [Read more 🡒]