The Los Angeles Dodgers certainly are no strangers to tapping into their organizational depth, but recent developments on the pitching front are still somewhat of a surprise. Injuries forced the Dodgers to call on Dennis Santana, who made his MLB debut over the weekend.
Santana pitched in relief against the Colorado Rockies, and now is scheduled to make his first career start in Wednesday’s series finale at PNC Park. Prior to that, the Dodgers will send Caleb Ferguson to the mound for his debut.
He was selected in the 38th round of the 2014 Draft, and coincidentally reaches the Majors on the third day of the 2018 Draft — or when players will be taken in the same round Ferguson was four years ago.
The left-hander began the season with Double-A Tulsa, then joined Triple-A Oklahoma City and made three starts before joining the Dodgers.
Not only was Ferguson surprised to receive his call, he didn’t so much as believe he’d have been with Oklahoma City at this point, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“Honest to God,” Ferguson said before Tuesday’s series opener against the Pirates at PNC Park, “at this moment right now, I thought I would still be in Tulsa.”
The 21-year-old nonetheless feels prepared to make his MLB debut but understands that will be determined based on results:
“I think I’m ready,” Ferguson said. “But the game is going to tell me if I’m ready or not.”
Ferguson went 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and averaged 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings across eight starts for the Drillers. He didn’t receive a decision in two starts with Oklahoma City, but pitched to a 2.25 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and increased his strikeouts per nine to 13.5.
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