Dodgers’ postseason roster battle extends all the way to OKC

The heat is on for the Dodgers’ postseason roster and for a team as deep and talented as the Dodgers, the battle extends all the way to Oklahoma City.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were off on Monday night, but in the heart of Oklahoma City, the postseason roster battle raged on.  Tony Gonsolin started for OKC on Monday night and he continued where he left off from his last big league start.  Gonsolin pitched five innings allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out nine.

Tony Gonsolin certainly deserves to be on the big league roster right now but given LA’s deep roster he has to settle for what will likely be a September call up.  The LA Dodgers will continue to look at who they have now and then come September, Gonsolin will get another shot to pitch his way onto the playoff roster.  Maybe even sooner if another injury occurs.

Then there was Jedd Gyorko, continuing his strong showing on his rehab stint at AAA.  Gyorko hit a three-run home run in his fourth game at the AAA level.  Through ten at-bats with the OKC Dodgers, he has one home run, a .500 on-base percentage, and an OPS of 1.200.  This comes after two games with the Tulsa Drillers where he also hit one home run.

Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez will begin their rehab assignments soon and Jedd Gyorko is nearing the end of his rehab assignment.  He should get a call up before September and try to steal one of the utility spots on the postseason roster.  It won’t be easy with Taylor and Hernandez back soon in addition to Matt Beaty and Kristopher Negron.  However, when Gyorko is healthy he provides an above-average power bat from second base, shortstop, and first base.

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While his odds seem low for an October roster spot, there was likely a reason Andrew Friedman acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals.  Friedman likely saw something that convinced him Gyorko can be an asset down the stretch.  Whether it’s to fill in for the injured David Freese, or a utility spot, he has an outside chance of cracking the postseason roster.

Dylan Floro also pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the AAA Dodgers.  Floro has been better in Oklahoma City after a brutal May and June.  He did not allow a single earned run until May but then the wheels fell off of his strong start to the season.  Floro was effective against right-handed batters (.191 AVG) but lefties gave him too much trouble (.370 AVG).

It will be an uphill battle for Floro to make the postseason roster as he has been surpassed by pitchers like Casey Sadler.   Between young pitchers like Tony Gonsolin and the veterans in limbo such as Yimi Garcia and J.T. Chargois, Dylan would need to come out strong in September to give himself another shot at the postseason roster.

Gavin Lux also continues his Triple-A tear, but the Dodgers have yet to decide if September will be a chance for playing time or a chance to learn.  Max Muncy has taken over at second base recently and it appears that is the plan going forward against right-handed pitching.  Regardless of what happens with Lux, the LA Dodgers postseason roster battle extends all the way to Oklahoma City.