The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a seven-game road trip to begin the 2021 regular season returning to Dodger Stadium on April 9 for their home opener against the Washington Nationals.
The club’s first stop is to face the Colorado Rockies in a four-game series at Coors Field, followed by a three-game set against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum.
The Dodgers’ taxi squad for the road trip is headlined by Keibert Ruiz and Dennis Santana, and also includes Garrett Cleavinger, DJ Peters and Luke Raley.
It’s a continuation from last season, when teams initially were allowed to carry three players on their taxi squad before the league upped it to five.
Players on the taxi squad won’t receive service time (unless activated), and can’t be in uniform, or in the dugout or bullpen (exception made for extra catcher) during games.
Ruiz is coming off an impressive, albeit shortened Spring Training due to visa issues that held him up from reporting to camp on time. He went 5-for-6 with two doubles and five RBI in four games.
“Really impressive. Keibert really came into camp ready to go — albeit delayed but out of his control,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Ruiz at the end of March.
“The way his mindset and outlook on things, the body, the at-bat quality, with the pitchers. I’m just really, really pleased with where Keibert is at right now taking that next step forward from being just a prospect to being a big league ballplayer.”
As for Santana, he just missed earning a spot on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster. He lost out to Scott Alexander, whose left-handedness made him a better fit for the bullpen.
“Very, very difficult decision,” Roberts said. “We thought Dennis had a great spring and really impressed with his progress, command and all that stuff. There’s really no viable reason or answer. It’s just more of a numbers game. We just felt right now, Scott has earned that roster spot.”
2021 Dodgers Opening Day roster (players listed alphabetically)
Starting rotation (5): Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Julio Urias
Bullpen (8): Scott Alexander, Tony Gonsolin, Victor Gonzalez, Kenley Jansen, Corey Knebel, Jimmy Nelson, David Price, Blake Treinen
Catchers (2): Austin Barnes, Will Smith
Infielders (7): Matt Beaty, Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, Edwin Rios, Corey Seager, Chris Taylor, Justin Turner
Outfielders (4): Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, AJ Pollock, Zach McKinstry
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