LOS ANGELES ― David Price threw two simulated innings against his teammates at Dodger Stadium on Monday. His next appearance will come out of the Dodgers’ bullpen.
Right-hander Dustin May will be in the Dodgers’ starting rotation to begin the regular season, Manager Dave Roberts announced. He’ll make his 2021 debut next Monday in Oakland. That means the veteran left-hander Price, and right-handers Tony Gonsolin and Jimmy Nelson, will be relief pitchers when the Dodgers visit the Colorado Rockies for four games beginning Thursday.
May has a 2.63 earned-run average in four spring training appearances. His fourth and final spring training start is Tuesday, in the Freeway Series finale against the Angels. The 23-year-old went 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) last season when he finished fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Price, 35, opted out of last season entirely, and the Dodgers plan to monitor his 2021 workload carefully. He was limited to 6-2/3 innings in Cactus League play and allowed two runs. Price ranks ninth among active pitchers in career starts (311), but he won’t add to his total as the Dodgers begin their quest to repeat as World Series champions.
The Dodgers faced few pressing roster decisions in spring training. Choosing five starting pitchers from eight qualified candidates was the most difficult for the manager and front office.
“This was sort of the first hurdle,” Roberts said, “and we’re in a good spot.”
Managing the Dodgers’ surplus of starting pitchers figures to be a season-long task. Gonsolin finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting as a starting pitcher last year, and he had a solid camp of his own. Nelson’s camp – no runs allowed, nine strikeouts in seven innings – was the best by any Dodgers pitcher. Price has never made more than seven relief appearances in any of his 12 major league seasons. May is not guaranteed to remain in the rotation beyond Monday.
“First of all, we’re in a great spot. We have a lot of talented pitchers,” Roberts said. “There’s going to have to be a little bit of bullpen gymnastics, pitching gymnastics, this season. This is an unknown coming off of last year. The players, coaches and organization are aligned in that we want our pitchers to be as sharp, as fresh, and as strong as possible for the September postseason run. How we get there can be debated. We’re going to have to be nimble. It is important to keep all these guys fresh throughout the season.
“Having three guys in the ’pen who are major league starters who can take down innings is valuable,” Roberts continued. “I don’t think any team in baseball can say they have that.”
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Roberts confirmed Zach McKinstry will be on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster as a utility player. The roster will feature 13 position players and 13 pitchers to begin the season.
The manager also confirmed the final bullpen job is a choice between right-hander Dennis Santana and left-hander Scott Alexander. Whichever pitcher does not make the team will be on the taxi squad during the Dodgers’ trip to Denver and Oakland.
McKinstry will join Matt Beaty and Edwin Rios as the left-handed hitters on Roberts’ bench.
“A potential right-handed bat might fit a little bit better,” Roberts said, “but I just think that Zach’s versatility, his ability to take a good at-bat off the bench, on the bases, and throughout his career to handle left-handed pitching, he’ll get a start in Colorado somewhere.”
ALSO
Price, who was scratched from Sunday’s start against the Angels due to illness, was feeling better Monday. … Left fielder A.J. Pollock, who was also scratched from Sunday’s game, was back in the lineup Monday. … Roberts said he has already received his first COVID-19 vaccination and is awaiting his second. As for whether most players will follow suit, Roberts said, “the more people we get and reach that 85 percent (vaccination) threshold, we can lax some things around the clubhouse and dugout. I’m hopeful but that’s each man’s decision.”
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