While the Los Angeles Dodgers have already made multiple call-ups this month to take advantage of an expanded active roster over the final month of the season, a slew of players who are expected to join the team currently remain with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers’ top affiliate plays their final game of the regular season on Monday morning, which should lend to another round of call-ups. Joc Pederson is expected to rejoin the club, though manager Dave Roberts has not given an indication of when that will come to fruition.
According to J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, the Dodgers are also expected to call up Charlie Culberson, who has spent the entire 2017 season with OKC:
Source: Charlie Culberson is joining the #Dodgers from AAA Oklahoma City. Was slashing .250/.299/.336. Corresponding move unknown.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) September 4, 2017
Culberson was not in the lineup Monday, which suggests he’s joining the Dodgers for the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s a natural decision, considering Corey Seager is dogged by a sore elbow that’s expected to keep him out of the lineup for up to seven more days as he completes a throwing program.
Like with Fabio Castillo, O’Koyea Dickson and Alex Verdugo, the Dodgers will need to make a corresponding move to add Culberson to their 40-man roster. He batted .250/.299/.336 with 13 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 32 RBI over 108 games with Oklahoma City this season.
He’s yet to appear in a game for the Dodgers in 2017. Culberson hit .299/.309/.388 with three doubles, one home run and seven RBI in 29 games with the team last season. He’s of course heralded for hitting a walk-off home run to clinch the National League West title in the Dodgers’ final home game of the season.
Vin Scully’s call of the home run won a 2016 Esurance MLB Award.
