Breaking: Dodgers Option Pedro Baez To AAA

All week, the corresponding roster move that would make room for Caleb Ferguson has been speculated. Ferguson has been named tonight’s starter at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Today, the Dodgers showed their cards finally. Pedro Baez is no longer on the big league roster – he’s been optioned to AAA Oklahoma City.

Pedro Baez optioned to Triple-A OKC, Caleb Ferguson called up to make his MLB debut #Dodgers

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— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) June 6, 2018

The puzzling thing is if you’re looking for a straw the broke the camel’s back with Baez, there really isn’t one. He hasn’t been scored upon in his last three appearances, the most recent coming last night. His season ERA is 3.25, and he has 35 strikeouts in 27 and 2/3 innings pitched.

A deeper look into the numbers shows that Baez’s WHIP (Walks + Hits Per Innings Pitched) is at 1.59 on the year. This is up from his career number of 1.17, so he’s worked in a lot of messy situations.

I always felt like a performance in which Baez allowed five runs or something catastrophic would lead to this happening. It seems like it was more of a numbers game in the end. Again, someone had to be sent down to make room for Ferguson. Depending upon Ferguson’s performance in tonight’s ballgame, another corresponding move could be made.

Analysis

This doesn’t exactly feel like the end of the line for Baez, so we will not eulogize him just yet. An argument can be made that he’s as capable as anyone in the bullpen right now outside Kenley Jansen. I believe there is a high probability that Baez returns to the Dodgers big league roster within a week or two. With all of the injuries the Dodgers have right now, the shuffling of cards isn’t finished. Still, it’s major news that a roster mainstay over the last several seasons won’t be in the bullpen for the time being.