Edgardo Henriquez is trending toward a return just in time for the Dodgers’ NLDS push.
Brandon Gomes said the right-hander is “trending really well” and looks likely to be on the postseason roster if the final steps go as planned. Henriquez remains on the injured list with a lower back injury that kept him out for the final two weeks of the regular season, but the early signs have been encouraging.
On Tuesday, September 29th, Gomes told the media, including Dodgers Nation, that Henriquez threw a live batting practice session against hitters and came through it well. More work is still on the schedule during the bye week, including simulated games and additional live batting sessions. If he keeps clearing those boxes, Gomes said the expectation is clear.
“We’ve still got a few steps to go, but if all that goes well, the expectation is he will be on the roster,” the general manager said.
The big question now is what Henriquez looks like once he’s back in the mix. Before the injury, he had worked as a set-up man and had started to emerge as a closer option because of his consistency. That mattered because Tanner Scott had been prone to home runs and Edwin Diaz had been in a spiral, which opened the door for Henriquez to stand out as the steadiest arm in the group.
That picture has shifted some lately. Scott has been steady over the last few weeks, Diaz has rebuilt himself from the ground up, and Roki Sasaki has moved into the bullpen. So the Dodgers head into October with multiple candidates to handle the ninth inning, Henriquez included.
“Obviously we’ve had a lot of talent over the years,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But as far as sitting here today at the end of the season, it’s as good of shape as we’ve ever been in with the bullpen.
“That could change in a day, in a game, as we all know. But right now, feel really good about everyone out there.”
Roberts has a reputation for leaning on feel when he sorts out bullpen roles in the postseason, and Henriquez could end up closing or sliding into a middle relief spot depending on how he looks in his return. For the Dodgers, the important part is that they have options, something that hasn’t always been the case.
In Other News...
Dodgers Face A Miguel Rojas Postseason Wrinkle They Didn't Expect
Miguel Rojas is juggling more than the usual October pressure as the Dodgers get ready for the National League Division Series. The veteran infielder is scheduled to take his U.S. citizenship test on Oct. 2 in Miami, a timing quirk that could pull him away from the club at the exact moment the postseason begins. Rojas is hoping to make it back in time for Game 1, but the Dodgers are once again being asked to plan around a player whose value goes beyond the box score.
There is also a bigger layer hanging over the situation, one that makes this more than just a travel inconvenience. Rojas has said he would only keep playing if the Dodgers offer him a contract, and his current deal runs out after the World Series, leaving his future unsettled even as the club tries to line up for October. For a team that has leaned on experience and versatility all season, it is a reminder that the roster questions do not stop when the bracket does. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Finally Know When Their NLDS Opener Will Begin
The Dodgers finally have a start time for their NLDS opener, and it comes with the usual October combination of anticipation and uncertainty. Major League Baseball set Game 1 of Los Angeles Division Series for Saturday at 1 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium, giving the club a clear target as it waits to learn whether its opponent will be the Braves or the Phillies.
The broader playoff picture also tightened up Wednesday, when the Padres beat the Cubs 4-1 to finish a two-game sweep in the wild card series and move on to face the Brewers. For the Dodgers, the next step still depends on the result of the Atlanta-Philadelphia game, and while the first pitch is locked in, the remaining schedule for the series has yet to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers NLDS Opener Comes With A Tough Twist Fans Will Feel
The Dodgers now know their NLDS opener will arrive Saturday at 1 p.m. PT, and the matchup will come against either the Braves or the Phillies once the deciding game is settled Thursday. San Diegos sweep through the Wild Card round cleared the path for Los Angeles, but the first step of this next series carries an immediate test before a pitch is even thrown.
Forecasts are calling for temperatures near 100 degrees for the opener, a brutal backdrop that could shape how the game is played. Heat this extreme can wear on hitters and lengthen the challenge for both clubs, making the start of the series feel less like a normal October afternoon and more like a survival test. [Read more 🡒]