Dodgers News: New Catcher Austin Wynns Endures ‘Whirlwind’ to Get to LA
The Dodgers signed former Giants and Orioles catcher Austin Wynns on Sunday morning, the same time they announced that they were placing catcher Will Smith on the seven-day injured list with concussion symptoms, retroactive to this past Wednesday. The Dodgers needed catching depth, and got it in the form of Wynns.
Wynns spent last year and the beginning of this year with the Giants. Last season, Wynns appeared in 65 games, and hit .259 with three home runs, 21 RBIs and an OPS of .671. So, the Dodgers gave him a call, and asked him to come down to Los Angeles for a week to provide some depth behind Austin Barnes.
He told reporters on Sunday that it was quite the “whirlwind” for him to fly out to Los Angeles and get ready for yesterday’s game (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).
“I was in Nashville with my wife, cooking, and I got the call and told them, ‘First flight out, I’m there,'” Wynns said. “It’s been a whirlwind and I’m happy I’m here. … I know my role and will try to do the best I can.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is excited to have Wynns in the clubhouse — even for a short period of time — both for his energy and experience.
“I like the energy,” Roberts said of Wynns. “Good teammate, and understands his role. I don’t know how long he’s gonna be here. But it’s good to have a guy who’s caught at this level.”
Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register
It remains to be seen when Wynns gets in a game, but he’ll likely catch one of the three games against the New York Mets this week.
Barnes has already caught three straight games for the Dodgers, and they play another seven straight this week. Smith will hopefully be back by the next series against the Cubs — which starts Thursday — but still, Barnes will likely get a day off in one of the games against the Mets on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
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