The Los Angeles Dodgers reported to Camelback Ranch for Spring Training a few weeks ago, although one player was noticeably missing from the group.
Outfielder Andrew Toles did not report to Arizona due to a personal issue, and now almost a month has gone by and he still is not in camp.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently did not have any updates on Toles’ situation, but said that he was a bit surprised when he didn’t report for Spring Training.
As the club still awaits a potential return, the Dodgers have placed Toles on the restricted list and therefore freed up a spot on their 40-man roster, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
#Dodgers have placed OF Andrew Toles on the restricted list. No change in his situation but frees up a 40-man roster spot. Yet to report to camp due to a personal matter.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 11, 2019
It is unclear what the Dodgers plan to do with that extra roster spot, if anything, but it does give them some flexibility if they want to sign a free agent or adding a non-roster invitee like Brad Miller to the 40-man roster.
The focus here should obviously be on Toles though, hoping that everything is OK with him and his family.
Toles hit .233/.281/.300 in 17 Major League games in 2018, but had an impressive .306/.345/.461 slashline with seven home runs and 39 RBI in 71 games with Oklahoma City in what was his first season off of a torn ACL that cost him most of the 2017 season.