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What fans need to know about potential new Dodgers relief weapon Kyle Hurt

The Dodgers have added unexpected reinforcements from the minors after shutting down Walker Buehler.
Adam Weinrib
Adam Weinrib

Dodgers Way

Aug 16, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove in the dugout / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Remember the Dodgers' dominant Tulsa rotation that spent Summer 2023 setting strikeout rate records? Well, major-league Dodgers watchers are about to see a little more of it.

Following in Emmet Sheehan's footsteps (who was promoted shortly after the Baseball America article spotlighting Tulsa dropped), Kyle Hurt is about to become the latest swing-and-miss weapon on LA's staff.

Hurt was promoted to The Show on Tuesday afternoon in the wake of Gavin Stone's (and Evan Phillips') difficult day keeping the Padres at bay. In reality, though, promoting the team's No. 12 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) wasn't a reactionary move. This was a bigger-picture attempt to limit his innings at the tail end of 2023 while still pursuing a potential bullpen solution.

Considering the sheer numbers of pitchers who the Dodgers thought they could rely on, but have since disappeared, it makes complete sense to keep taking bites at the apple.

Dodgers promote high strikeout starting pitching prospect Kyle Hurt to pitch out of 2023 bullpen

The 25-year-old Hurt, a fifth-round selection in 2020 by the Marlins out of USC, came to the Dodgers alongside Alex Vesia in the Dylan Floro trade. Considering Floro's since been cut loose in Miami, it's safe to call this one a two-part victory for Andrew Friedman.

Hurt's 3.87 ERA and elevated WHIP this season are due in large part to struggles with control at Double-A; he walked 33 batters in 65 innings with a 4.15 ERA at the level before settling things down a bit in six excellent outings at Triple-A (3.09 ERA across 23.1 innings). 15 of his 19 appearances in Tulsa came in the rotation, while only one of his Oklahoma City outings was in a starting role.

Of course, the eye-popping strikeout totals are what draw you to Hart, regardless of the command and control problems. In those 65 Double-A innings, he blew away 110 batters, helping craft the highest strikeout rate in all of the minor leagues this season (145 in 88.1 frames). He's coming off a Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honor, and comes armed with a devastating wipeout breaker.

And his MLB debut couldn't have looked better on Wednesday night.

Electric! Against the heart of the order!

Walker Buehler isn't walking through that door. The Dodgers remain short on trustworthy late-inning weapons, even though their bullpen has improved in the second half. If not Hurt and if not now, who and when? Every dart is worth a shot, especially with the NL West sewn up and LA's sole remaining goal involving gearing up for the playoffs.

Adam Weinrib

Adam Weinrib

Adam Weinrib is a Content Director on the FanSided network, and has been the co-editor at Yanks Go Yard and Dodgers Way for 4 years. He also co-hosts The Baseball Insiders Podcast twice weekly, alongside FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray, as well as the Yanks Go Yard Podcast. Previously, he was a Senior Editor at 12up.com, and has been covering MLB and NFL for eight years. Previously, he was a headline and features contributor at ClickHole and Onion Sports, as well as the Associate Producer of the ESPN 30 for 30 film "Believeland". An avowed fan of the New York sports teams -- specifically the Yankees -- as well as the North Carolina Tar Heels, you can find Adam complaining mid-game on Twitter, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn if the game goes really poorly.