Dodgers Team News

Dodgers, MLB Affected by 2020 Injured List Changes

Everyone in baseball knows that the Dodgers are the masters of manipulation when it comes to the injured list. They frequently place pitchers on the IL who are not injured as a means of getting them rest. Moreover, it allows the club to get a fresh arm on the active roster.

The organization will never admit to it, but it is apparent. It fits the organization as well as any other considering the amount of injury-prone players the Dodgers carry in addition to their fantastic depth.



Now Jon Heyman says changes are coming for the 2020 season.

According to league sources, the 10-day injured list will once again become the 15-day injured list as it used to be earlier in the decade. With a new rule change, the Dodgers may have to shift their strategy.

This has a direct impact on Los Angeles as MLB is instituting this change to mitigate teams from strategically manipulating the injured list and its purpose. In an effort to be able to retain as many players possible to maximize their depth, the front office manipulates the IL better than just about any team in the league.

Nevertheless, the Dodgers will most likely continue to deploy their strategy — one that works extremely well — regardless of the new rule implementations. While an extra five-day loss of a player on the injured list has more serious implications, it is still just five days or one start for a starting pitcher. This is how the Dodgers operate and there are no indications that they will stop now.

Daniel Preciado

My name is Daniel Preciado and I am 19 years old. I am a sophomore Sport Analytics major and Cognitive Science and Economics dual minor at Syracuse University. When I am not in New York, I live in Whittier, California --- not too far from Chavez Ravine. I am pretty old-school for being an analytics guy and I will always embrace debate. Also, Chase Utley did absolutely nothing wrong.

5 Comments

  1. Maybe the Dodgers should spend less time manipulating the IL system (to show how smart they are) and spend more time focusing on winning a World Series? Just a suggestion.

    1. Classic create a problem provide a solution. Be cheap and acquire a bunch of projects and injury prone players so you can manipulate the DL and get everyone playing time including your own prospects who you are blocking with your moves. Here’s a solution how about having 8 legitimate starters and a bench and 5 horses in the rotation 3 being 1 and 2 starters. Your depth for Injuries can be your so called amazing farm system guys that can fill in along side a bench player for the time being and I won’t be hard to cut their playing time when the starter comes back. You don’t need 40 starters in your organization to win this weak division trust me they could get by being traditional easily AND they will be better suited for the playoffs having 8 real starters in the lineup and bench guys that know their role every night and 4 legit playoff starters

  2. Captain Picard of Star trek Next Generation fame said in an episode to two Klingon women “You have manipulated the situation with the skill of a Romulan.” It was not meant as a complement, rather as an insult. The baseball gods are watching Dodgers.

    1. At least the Dodgers stay within the rules. Can’t say that much for team like bosox or Asstros.

      1. And no matter what anyone says, Dodgers are not alone in manipulation of IL with pitchers. But maybe the FO thus should stay away from the dumpster bin in obtaining pitchers.

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