The Los Angeles Dodgers are moving on from a backup catcher and instead strengthening the bullpen.
The team on Monday afternoon announced that catcher Chuckie Robinson is being designated for assignment, while right handed pitcher Carlos Duran is being placed on the 40-man roster.
The move comes the same day that reliever Evan Phillips is being activated from the injured list and another righty, Paul Gervase, is being optioned.
Why are the Dodgers designating Chuckie Robinson for assignment?
Robinson was brought up to the big leagues due to the ongoing injury recovery of starting catcher Will Smith.
Though Dalton Rushing has performed well in the backup role, his inconsistencies sometimes led to frustrations, including with superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Robinson was brought in to back up Rushing, though he’s underperformed in the majors.
In his eight games, he’s hitting .087, with only two hits in 23 at-bats.
He also hasn’t been walked and has no extra-base hits.
On Sunday, the Dodgers debuted Eliezer Alfonzo, who learned just hours before the game that his sister and stepmother had been killed in the pair of earthquakes that devastated Venezuela last month.
Alfonzo went 0-for-2 against the San Diego Padres, but the Dodgers likely want to give him more chances at the big-league level — especially given the devastating news he’d just received.
What does Carlos Duran bring to the Dodgers?
Duran has only pitched part of one inning at the major league level.
In 2025, as a member of the Athletics, Duran faced five batters and pitched 0.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three walks and a hit.
That small sample size led to some strange statistics — an ERA of 81.00 and WHIP of 12.00, for example — but the 24-year-old could get a better opportunity with the Boys in Blue.
With the Oklahoma City Comets this season, he has a 2-2 record and ERA of 3.86.
He also has 50 strikeouts in 35 innings of work against only 25 walks, a massive improvement over that otherworldly 12.00 WHIP.
Do you think Carlos Duran can find more big-league success with the Dodgers?
One Response
Sure he could “find success” compared to a 81.00 ERA and 12.00 WHIP. Let’s get real, he’s just going to be more “filler” in a surprisingly weak assortment of Dodgers minor league pitchers. Need to draft and make some trades to improve overall pitchers and catchers depth in minors. How many outfielders do we need???