Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Luis Avilan did not join his teammates on Thursday’s flight to New York, as he was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The move clears the needed spot on the active roster for Julio Urias’ forthcoming call up.
However, the Dodgers must still vacate a spot on the 40-man roster. Urias is scheduled to start Friday’s series opener against the Mets. Alex Wood, the previously listed starter, had his outing pushed back to Monday due to triceps soreness.
Avilan joined the Dodgers on Monday to give them a fresh arm in the bullpen on the heels of a 17-inning marathon with the San Diego Padres. He appeared in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game, retiring Jay Bruce for the third out.
In two brief stints with the Dodgers this season, Avilan owns an inflated 27.00 ERA, 7.09 FIP and 5.00 WHIP in a combined one-plus innings of work over four games. He allowed one run to the Colorado Rockies on April 23 in 0.1 inning pitched, and two runs the following night without recording an out.
Avilan sported a 5.17 ERA, 3.64 FIP, 1.15 WHIP and had 18 strikeouts in 15.2 innings pitched across 23 games after being traded to the Dodgers in second half of 2015. He’s 0-2 with two saves, a 4.97 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 12 games (12.2 innings pitched) with Oklahoma City this season.
The Dodgers technically now have only seven relievers on the active roster but with Urias, not a position player earmarked to join the club, they will continue with a short bench. Manager Dave Roberts said he expected to continue with an eight-man bullpen throughout the seven-game road trip.
