The Los Angeles Dodgers and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman have had a knack for finding diamonds in the rough for their bullpen in recent years. Prime examples are Joe Blanton and Brandon Morrow who both emerged out of nowhere to become dominant setup men.
The team is still searching for that same reliever this year, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said that he has not yet decided on a setup man for Kenley Jansen. One developing option might be right-hander J.T. Chargois.
In a rather under-the-radar roster transaction, he was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins this past offseason. Chargois went on to have a strong showing in Spring Training and earned a spot on an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career.
While Chargois has quickly made an impact and his presence felt, he’s focused on the minute and not getting ahead of himself, via Jim Alexander of the Southern California News Group:
“The focus is really just take it one day at a time, and that’s kind of transferred into one pitch at a time,” Chargois said. “It’s really quite simple and nothing too complex.
“My focus is right now, and whatever I can do to better myself right now and take care of my immediate goals. And that’s what I’m focused on. But every opportunity each day is a blessing, and I’m going to try and take advantage of it.”
Chargois made 25 appearances for the Twins in 2016, but health has been an issue for him in his career. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and then dealt with a stress reaction in his elbow for much of the 2017 season.
Chargois studied film of himself to make a mechanical adjustment that’s expected to play a role in his efforts to remain healthy. Chargois was stellar in his Dodgers debut, recording two strikeouts in a perfect inning of relief against the San Francisco Giants on Opening Day.
