Dodgers stash Tyler White for next year in move to 60 day IL

The Dodgers opted to keep Tyler White in the organization by transferring him to the 60 day IL.  White could make the roster in 2020.

On Monday, the Dodgers transferred Tyler White to the 60 day IL to make space on their 40 man roster and also to keep him in the organization as a depth piece for the 2020 season.  If the club didn’t think he had a possible role in 2020, they simply could’ve released White and go their separate ways.  Instead, White will be back with the Dodgers in spring training.

Stashing Tyler White in the organization really isn’t surprising given that Andrew Friedman runs the Dodgers.  Friedman always makes sure to have plenty of quality depth since in a long baseball season there are always injuries that come out of the blue.  Tyler could take the David Freese role in 2020 if Freese decides to retire.

Freese will turn 37 years old at the end of next April and he could decide to hang ’em up and call it a career after this season.  Especially if the Dodgers end up winning the World Series.  What better way to go out than to go out as a World Series champion.  Keeping White would leave a potential replacement for David in the organization at a minimal cost.

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This coming offseason, Tyler White will enter arbitration for the first time and still come with two more seasons of control after next year.  While White was terrible as a Dodger this season, his track record shows he could bounce back and become a valuable bench piece again next season.  In Los Angeles, Tyler went just 1-22 as a Dodger, which is good for a .045 average.

The 2018 season, shows what kind of production Tyler White could bring off the bench if the Dodgers get him back on track.  White hit 12 home runs and posted a triple-slash line of .276/.354/.533 in 2018.  Those are David Freese type numbers especially his .305 average and 1.010 OPS against left-handed pitching.

By keeping him on the roster into the offseason, the Dodgers could let David Freese take his time if needed to decide whether he is done playing or not.  If he is then White would enter spring training as one option to fill his bench role.  If David returns for one more season then the Dodgers could non-tender White in the offseason.

Andrew Friedman is all about quality depth and the Dodgers preserved depth for next season by transferring White to the 60 day IL.