The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Edwin Uceta and optioned Brusdar Graterol back to Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to the series finale against the Washington Nationals. Uceta joined the Dodgers taxi squad on Saturday in preparation to be added to the active roster.
His arrival was necessitated due to Trevor Bauer being under investigation for alleged sexual assault. Bauer was placed on seven-day administrative leave by Major League Baseball, leaving the Dodgers to rely on a bullpen game.
The Dodgers will need to utilize that strategy again on Friday, and manager Dave Roberts said Uceta is one of the internal candidates being considered to fill the void in the rotation for the time being.
Uceta, who made his MLB debut earlier this season, is 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in eight games (one start) for L.A. The right-hander has also appeared in four games (two starts) with Oklahoma City this year, going 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA.
Graterol returns to Oklahoma City two days after being recalled to replace Bauer on the active roster. Graterol appeared in two games, throwing 2.2 innings and allowing one unearned run.
The appearance was his first for the Dodgers since April 26. After recovering from right forearm inflammation/tightness, he was activated off the 10-day injured list but immediately optioned to Oklahoma City with the intention to continue developing.
“As far as pitch development, working on the slider to have something to equalize the left-handed hitter, keeping the sinker and two-seamer down in the zone to go along with the slider to get swing and miss, or soft contact, to execute that consistently, those are the things we want from Brusdar,” manager Dave Roberts recently explained.
“I’m sure, like all Minor League players, wants to be in the big leagues. But there’s some finishing school that we see in him so once he does get back here, we want him to stick.”
Uceta learned from suspension
The Dodgers included Uceta in their player pool for the 2020 season and participated in their alternate training camp but was placed on the restricted list for a violation of health and safety protocols.
“It was a learning experience,” Uceta said in May. “There was a little bit of miscommunication with the mismanagement of a food item I ordered to the hotel.
“From that, I wouldn’t say it unraveled, but it didn’t go the way that we wanted it to. It’s something I’m going to learn from and grow from.”
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