Howdy and welcome to Spring Coaching, as pitchers and catchers have already reported for the Dodgers, and a bunch of place guys are already round and dealing.
As you’ll quickly see, the vibes are off the charts thus far.
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Howdy, Shohei Ohtani!
Shohei Ohtani, again to being a two-way. (Through @dodgers.com)
Additionally, good replace within the background.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) February 10, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Hyeseong Kim acquired a dose of Korean from him…
Shohei Ohtani already rizzing up Hyeseong Kim in Korean. (Through @dodgers.com)
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) February 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
…and the opposite gamers are additionally having enjoyable with him at the very least.
The crew vibes round Hyeseong Kim are unimaginable. (H/T: www.instagram.com/p/DF8Yy-VSwS_/)
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) February 12, 2025 at 2:56 AM
The Dodgers repeating will primarily come right down to well being and luck, however injecting contemporary blood into the roster ought to assist loads of their quest as a result of now a bunch of them are as hungry as anyone to win their first one.
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In transaction information, the Enrique Hernandez signing was finalized, and he’s making $6.5 million.
The Dodgers have agreed to phrases with IF/OF Kiké Hernández on a one-year contract for $6.5 million. With a view to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred RHP Gavin Stone to the 60-day injured checklist.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) February 12, 2025
Gavin Stone heads to the 60-day IL to clear room, the primary of presumably a handful of these strikes to return.
In crew information, the Dodgers have choices at nearer with all of the expertise in shutting down the late innings between Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, and Michael Kopech (even Alex Vesia), however Dave Roberts says it’ll be new signing Scott who will get the ball first.
Given the contract Scott acquired, that is sensible, because the Dodgers uncharacteristically splurged there for a motive. Nevertheless, because the 12 months goes on, I’d anticipate extra of the identical kind of bullpen utilization as 2024, particularly as a result of he’s a lefty.
In harm information … effectively, perhaps we will cross out Phillips for some time, as he truly suffered a tear in his rotator cuff throughout final 12 months’s NLCS. Whereas many (me) had been hoping he might return within the World Collection sooner or later, that by no means appeared within the playing cards.
However through the NLCS, he suffered a tear in his subscapularis, a tendon at the back of the shoulder, the biggest muscle within the rotator cuff.
“I didn’t bounce again effectively after Recreation 6 (of the NLCS). I might inform one thing wasn’t proper,” Phillips mentioned at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday. “I felt higher after a day’s relaxation. I took Monday off. Tuesday, I got here in and felt assured about it. Performed catch and it simply didn’t go effectively.”
The subsequent day because the Dodgers ready to play the Yankees within the World Collection, Phillips underwent an MRI which revealed the tear. He acquired a cortisone injection, hoping to “speed up” the therapeutic sufficient for him to pitch within the World Collection. It didn’t work and Phillips sat out crucial video games of the 12 months.
Luckily, he didn’t want surgical procedure, although he’ll be late beginning this season.
Phillips mentioned the exams of his shoulder didn’t present adequate harm to require surgical procedure however he did obtain a platelet-rich plasma injection when the crew returned from New York. In December, he had a follow-up MRI that confirmed issues had been “trending in the proper course” however “I believe they nonetheless noticed some harm in there.”
Because of this, his throwing program in December was restricted to drugs balls and light-weight plyometric balls. He didn’t choose up a baseball till Jan. 1 and has solely progressed to throwing lengthy toss as camp opens this week, placing him not on time to be prepared for the beginning of the season – and making him a really lengthy shot to be prepared for the video games in Tokyo on March 18 and 19.
Is it regarding? Clearly, however realistically additionally they have the luxurious of simply needing him to spherical into kind by October.
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Whereas some followers (me) have been annoyed that Dave hasn’t already been prolonged, apparently he and the Dodgers solely simply began discussions.
On the Baseball Tonight podcast, Dave Roberts discusses his contract negotiations with the Dodgers, which have simply began. pic.twitter.com/FrzTT4fWKV
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 7, 2025
When he talks about worth, he probably needs to see one thing at the very least like Craig Counsell‘s five-year, $40 million record-setting deal with the Cubs, and it’s arduous to argue he doesn’t deserve it at this level.
As was speculated earlier within the low season, Farhan Zaidi is returning to the Dodgers in a particular advisor function.
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Everyone shall be in camp by February 15 on Saturday, and the primary sport shall be on February 20 at Camelback Ranch.
