Photo credit: Cody Roper/Oklahoma City Dodgers
In a somewhat surprising turn of events, the Dodgers added depth to their bench and removed it from their bullpen after their 12-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
After RHP Mitch White pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Clayton Kershaw on Friday, he was sent down to AAA, which in itself is not particularly surprising, given he would likely be unavailable to pitch for the next two or so days. However, the Dodgers’ calling up an infielder to replace him on the active roster instead of replacing him with another picture is slightly unexpected. This move demonstrates the faith they have in Trevor Bauer and Walker Buehler, giving them two long starts over the next two days.
The designation of RHP Dennis Santana feels like more of a shock than it is, considering how few options he had remaining and his inconsistent performance over the past few years for the Dodgers. While flashing at times wicked stuff, Santana often struggled with his command to the extent that he was relegated to being a mop-up guy despite his obvious talent. Because of his raw stuff, another team is likely to pick him off waivers after this move, but there’s a chance that he clears waivers and returns to the Dodgers’ AAA team.
However, the most intriguing part of this roster move is the contract selection of 30-year-old Andy Burns, who is probably an unfamiliar name to most Dodger fans. Burns, signed to a minor-league deal with the Dodgers this offseason, has been bullying AAA pitching so far this season, slashing .330/.427/.598 with 5 home runs in 30 games for the OKC Dodgers this season. Burns, in his career, has 6 MLB at-bats for the Toronto Blue Jays, going 0-6. He’ll likely pinch-hit off the bench for the Dodgers and occasionally start in the infield against left-handers, especially if Max Muncy hits the IL with his oblique issue.
Additionally, Santana’s removal from the 40-man roster leaves an open spot, possibly for another AAA call-up, but more likely for LHP Garrett Cleavinger, who is expected to be activated from the IL in the next few days.
