Kris Bubic wasn’t the kind of deadline addition that usually turns heads, and at first glance, the Dodgers’ move for him looked even stranger because of the timing and the risk. He had been dealing with shoulder issues since 2023, had only 59 appearances over the previous four seasons, and was already on track for free agency this winter.
Then there was the fact that he had been sidelined again with a shoulder injury since May 14. On top of that, the Dodgers had already traded for Tarik Skubal, so the need for another starter didn’t exactly jump off the page.
Still, Los Angeles kept betting on the possibility that the 29-year-old could help before the regular season ended. That possibility is starting to look a lot more real.
On Thursday night, Bubic worked a scoreless inning of relief and struck out two of the four batters he faced. It was his second straight appearance on a rehab assignment that began Sept. 1, and he has now put together five scoreless innings. A return to the majors feels close, if not right around the corner.
The most interesting detail from his latest outing is that it came in the second game of back-to-back appearances. He also hasn’t thrown more than an inning in any of his rehab outings, which points to a possible bullpen role if the Dodgers bring him back.
That would make sense based on what he’s done in relief before. Across his career, Bubic owns a 2.97 ERA as a reliever, with just under 58 innings out of the bullpen and a strikeout rate north of 26% against the hitters he’s faced. It’s a small but meaningful track record, and it gives the Dodgers a legitimate option if they want to use him that way in October.
And the Dodgers have certainly shown they’re willing to think differently when building out a playoff bullpen.
With news that Shohei Ohtani is not expected to pitch again this season, the Dodgers are going to have to get creative with the final pieces of their postseason staff. As October gets closer, Bubic looks less like a strange deadline footnote and more like someone who may have been part of the plan all along.
In Other News...
Dodgers Quietly Made A Roster Move With Bigger Implications
The Dodgers made a quiet late-season roster move with bigger implications, shifting Eric Lauer from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list after elbow inflammation ended his year. It closes the book on a brief but uneven run for Lauer, who finished with a 5.23 ERA over 22 appearances and now heads into the offseason set to look for a new contract.
More important for Los Angeles, the transaction opened a spot on the 40-man roster for top prospect Josue De Paula, a name Dodgers fans have been tracking closely as the organization continues to juggle immediate depth with future upside. Even for a team that is always thinking several moves ahead, this was the kind of understated roster shift that hints at what may be coming next. [Read more 🡒]
Freddie Freemans Absence Just Raised A Bigger Dodgers Concern
Freddie Freeman sat out his second straight game with right knee soreness, and for a Dodgers team trying to keep its lineup stable, the timing is worth watching. Manager Dave Roberts said Freeman received treatment and is expected back the following day, but the bigger point is that this has not been a one-day inconvenience. It has started to show up in Freemans hitting, which makes the absence feel less like a routine maintenance day and more like something the Dodgers need to monitor closely.
Los Angeles has leaned on Freeman for middle-of-the-order consistency, so even a short stretch without him changes the look of the lineup. If the knee issue is still bothering him at the plate, the Dodgers are not just waiting for him to return to first base, they are waiting to see whether he can get back to being himself once he does. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Pitching Picture Just Took An Unexpected Turn
The Dodgers pitching depth chart got a fresh jolt this week, and not in the way the club had hoped. Dave Roberts said Edwin Daz will keep working through his rehab assignment into the weekend, with another outing expected before any return decision is made, which pushes back the timeline a bit for a reliever the club had been eyeing to rejoin the mix.
Roki Sasaki, meanwhile, appears to be moving in the other direction. The right-hander has been on the injured list with a blister, but after bullpen sessions and live batting practice, he may be ready as soon as Sunday, and he is now eligible to be activated. For a Dodgers staff that has already had to adjust its plans, the shifting paths of both pitchers make the next few days worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]