Cody Snavely
Muncy & Edman return; Ahmed DFA’d, Ryan to 60-day IL
The Los Angeles Dodgers got a massive boost in yesterday’s 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, activating not one but two players from the 60-day injured list in third baseman Max Muncy and recently acquired utilityman Tommy Edman.
Each player made their presence known in a game that was decided in the final three innings as Muncy would finish one-for-three on the day, destroying a clutch two-run home run to push the Dodgers lead further. Edman would add to the hit total, getting a sharply hit single going one-for-three in his Dodgers debut.
While the media discussed whether Muncy would play first base due to the fractured finger Freddie Freeman suffered in the series in St. Louis, Muncy would return to third base, the position he has played all season.
Edman would make not only his Dodgers debut but also his 2024 season debut, having missed all games until yesterday rehabbing from offseason wrist surgery and a sore ankle. In his first start, the versatile player started in centerfield, an area that has been a problem defensively for Los Angeles.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Edman would get the start at shortstop tonight but will get the bulk of starts in center field.
To make room on the 40-man roster for both Muncy and Edman, the Dodgers DFA veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed and transferred starting pitcher River Ryan to the 60-day injured list while also optioning rookie Andy Pages as the final move on the 26-man roster.
Ahmed hit .229/.245/.292 in forty-nine plate appearances for the Dodgers and was only signed as a depth move in July as both Mookie Betts and Miguel Rojas were on the 10-day injured list at the time.
River Ryan, who exited his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates with forearm tightness, later had an MRI that revealed a UCL strain, all but ending his 2024 season. Ryan and the Dodgers have opted for Tommy John surgery, putting him on the shelf for most, if not all, of next season.
With Ryan on the 60-day injured list, the 26-year-old will earn major league pay and service time while recovering from the injury. That’ll give him at least a full year of service while he recovers, putting him on track for arbitration in the 2027-28 offseason and free agency following the 2030 season.
Heyward is taking reps in CF
One of the many goals for the Los Angeles Dodgers at this past trade deadline was to revamp their bench with some new life. Chris Taylor was having the worst season of his career, James Outman was in the midst of a sophomore slump, and Kiké Hernández was a shell of himself offensively at that moment.
Responding to the need for fresh talent, the Dodgers strategically acquired a wealth of position players. This included Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals, Amed Rosario from the Tampa Bay Rays, and the seasoned Kevin Kiermaier from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Despite the return of key players from injury, such as Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, and Tommy Edman, the Dodgers have shown their adaptability in the face of a mid-season roster crunch.
The first to bite the bullet was Amed Rosario, who was DFA’d upon Betts’ activation prior to the four-game series in Milwaukee, a move that shocked many Dodgers fans. With the activation of Muncy and Edman, the Dodgers also optioned Andy Pages, who has been on the big league roster for most of the season.
With Betts reverting back to the full-time right field role, Teoscar Hernández starting every day in left field, and Edman expected to get the bulk of playing time in center field, it is hard to see a spot for veteran outfielder Jason Heyward, who at the beginning of the season was expected to get the bulk of playing time against right-handed pitching in right field with Betts pegged as the full-time second baseman.
According to Dave Roberts, with playing time being thin, Heyward was seen taking flyballs in center field to give the Dodgers options.
I like him taking balls out in center field to give us some options. I see him off the bench. Right now, it’s hard to sit Mookie, and Tommy’s coming back, and I want to get him out there.
Heyward, 35, re-signed with the Dodgers on a one-year $9 million deal after having a resurgence in his career, hitting .269/.340/.473 with a .813 OPS in a platoon role for most of the season. However, for the 2024 season, it has been the complete opposite, as Heyward has a .203/.286/.372 slash line with a .658 OPS and 85 OPS+.
Heyward’s performance this season has been further complicated by his reverse splits. He was expected to start more against right-handed pitching, but he’s been hitting lefties (.308/.308/.539) better than righties (.195/.284/.359), a significant challenge for his performance.
Defensively, the Dodgers already have one of the best fielders in the game at center in Kevin Kiermaier. In his short stint with the Dodgers, Kiermaier has already showcased his elite level of play while also being a left-handed option off the bench.
As per the ‘Dodgers Way,’ veterans are usually given the opportunity to retain their spot on the roster. However, the upcoming month will be crucial for Heyward. He must demonstrate his value to the club, especially with Andy Pages returning in September and Chris Taylor’s potential inclusion on the horizon.
Pages optioned to make room on 26-man roster
As already mentioned in this article, the Dodgers made the difficult decision to option young outfielder Andy Pages.
The decision is entirely based on the fact that Pages and the other guys on the roster had multiple minor-league options available. The Dodgers did not want to part ways with Jason Heyward or Kevin Kiermaier, and with rosters expanding from twenty-six players to twenty-eight players, they saw this as a way to get Pages’ everyday playing time to keep his bat hot.
Since August 1st, Andy Pages has been batting .290 with nine hits, a homer, five RBIs, and four runs scored in ten games. Despite being a streaky hitter, he has proven his value in hitting left-handed pitching with a .337/.383/.488 slash line and will benefit defensively by switching to a corner outfield spot rather than eating innings in center field.
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