LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ roster underwent some renovations on Friday.
In a series of moves, third baseman Max Muncy was placed on the injured list, outfielder Jason Heyward was activated from the IL, outfielder James Outman was demoted to Triple-A along with left-hander Nick Ramirez while Miguel Vargas and right-hander Ricky Vanasco were promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Muncy injured an oblique muscle during batting practice before Thursday’s game. An MRI revealed a mild strain and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the expectation is that Muncy will be able to return when he is eligible on May 26.
“It just kind of grabbed a little bit. So he cut his batting practice short,” Roberts said. “I think we got ahead of it. … I’m sure he’s not going to swing the bat for a couple, two, three days and the hope is he’ll be back on line on the 11th day.”
Outman, meanwhile, has struggled badly at the plate ( .147 batting average and .516 OPS) and was not showing signs of coming out of it – he was 2 for his last 32 with 14 strikeouts. Andy Pages’ ability to play center field and the return of another left-handed hitting outfielder in Heyward prompted the Dodgers to make the decision to send Outman to OKC where he can hopefully work his way back in a less-pressurized environment.
“It was a tough one. I don’t think any of us expected to be in this position, given last year and our expectation for him this season,” Roberts said of Outman, who finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting last season. “But with the inconsistencies, the struggles, Jason coming back. … Andy’s play the last six weeks, we just felt that James needed an opportunity to go down and play every day. There’s something to getting out of this environment, performance-based and just go out there and playing baseball. Once we can get him back on track, then we can get him back here.”
Vargas can certainly relate to fumbling away a job at the major-league level. The Dodgers’ every-day second baseman for the first half of last season, he hit just .195 and was demoted at the All-Star break, spending the rest of the season in Triple-A.
The Dodgers’ top-ranked position player prospect before last year, Vargas has rediscovered his swing this season in Triple-A. He hit .295 with a 1.019 OPS thanks to 14 doubles and eight home runs in 39 games.
“He’s back to being who he is. I hope that carries over,” Roberts said. “He has a lot more clarity. He’s taking better swings, better at-bats, much better production.”
Vargas acknowledges now that a pair of hand injuries led to his downward spiral in 2023. He suffered a hairline fracture of his pinkie finger early in spring training then was hit by a pitch early in the season.
“I feel obviously the injury I had last year really affected my swing and now I feel like I’m stronger than last year,” Vargas said.
“After the injury I was doing a lot of bad habits and it was hard for me to get back to what I want to be. … “It took long. I don’t even think when I got sent down to Triple-A last year was my best version. Getting an offseason helped me a lot. I recovered my hand and worked on my strength. I really think that helped me, too.”
Moved around between third base, first base and second base in the minors before last season, Vargas returns now as a left fielder. It is the only position he has played in Triple-A this season and the only place the Dodgers will use him, Roberts said.
Kiké Hernandez and Miguel Rojas will replace Muncy at third base, Roberts said, with Vargas and Chris Taylor getting playing time in left field when Teoscar Hernandez is there.
“I don’t think that any of those four guys has earned the opportunity to play every single day,” Roberts said. “So now, it’s about when you get opportunities go out there and play good to create more opportunity for yourself.”
The Dodgers acquired journeyman left-hander Anthony Banda from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations. Banda, 30, has been in Triple-A this year where he had a 2.65 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17 innings. Banda has a 5.69 ERA in 90 career appearances over parts of seven major-league seasons. He is not on the 40-man roster.
Reds (RHP Graham Ashcraft, 3-2, 4.12 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Walker Buehler, 0-1, 7.36 ERA), Saturday, 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
