Dodgers Add Former First-Round Outfielder Amid Jason Heyward Injury: Report
The Los Angeles Dodgers have claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers. Trammell was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners after not making the Opening Day roster.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers have released left-handed pitcher Matt Gage.
This comes in the midst of Jason Heyward’s injury, as he’s dealing with a back issue and has missed the last two games.
Heyward has been dealing with this issue since the Freeway Series, when he was scratched from their final spring training game with what manager Dave Roberts called “back tightness.”
Heyward was able to play in the team’s first two games against right-handed pitching, but was out of the lineup on Monday against the right-handed Keaton Winn of the San Francisco Giants.
Trammell, 26, was drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.
He was traded to the San Diego Padres in a three-team trade that moved Trevor Bauer to the Reds and also moved former Dodger Yasiel Puig to Cleveland.
Then, a year later, he was traded again, this time to Seattle in a seven-player trade in which the Padres acquired Austin Nola.
Trammell made his debut in 2021 with the Mariners, and appeared in 51 games, slashing .160/.256/.359 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs.
It hasn’t gotten any better for him, as he’s appeared in 116 games in his career, slashing .168/.270/.368 with 15 home runs and 29 runs batted in.
Trammell hasn’t been able to put it all together at the big league level, but the Dodgers are taking a chance on him early in the 2024 season.
With Heyward ailing, the team is adding a left-handed outfielder with tons of potential.
Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Not crazy about this move. I want to see Andy Pages…(not Pah-hez) in the show. If Ootman can get going (he started slow last year too), and Pages comes up to man RF, I love the dynamic, especially with Teo in LF. Scary offense gets scarier.
He will probably be DFA as soon as Heyward returns.
He has played over 140 games in the last 7 years only once. He’s injury prone and isn’t getting younger. Bad move by the Dodgers to get him.
Why not bring up Andy Pages? He had a terrific spring with right handed pop and can bring some young enthusiastic energy to a heavy left handed lineup. Why not give him a chance in the bigs and see what he can do? Or they holding him back as trade bait.
Two words for you: Miguel Vargas. And hitting in Spring Training usually means noothing.
No way Pages will be trade bait. As soon as Heyward comes back, Trammell will likely be DFA. I guess they want Pages playing everyday in the minors. If he tears it up down there he’ll get a look soon enough if there’s another injury to an outfielder.
True but he did better than everybody else. You don’t know until you try to see if he can handle it. Trammell had his chance for seven years and no improvement, time to move on. Isn’t Spring also to see what you have developing?
No reason to think Trammell will be of any use except as the 26th man on the roster until Heyward comes back or a better alternative appears. More roseter churning like Crismatt (will he end up back at OKC?). I guess that is standard practice now for the Dodgers. Teoscar in right field is fine. The left fielders, Chris Taylor and Kike have their opportunity now. I renew my call for a trade for Luis Robert. There is so much excess talent in the system good talent is going to be given away in Spring 2025. Put it to good use by trading for Luis Robert: Trade Outman, 2 pitching prospects and one of the many excess catching prospects. Is Vargas playing left field at OKC, to come up in 2025?? Is he playing third base, to come up in 2026?