The Los Angeles Dodgers trail the Atlanta Braves by four-and-a-half-games for the National League's best record, so their only objective should be ironing out their postseason roster. They might be doing just that after this latest pitching transaction.
“Gavin Stone has been optioned and Michael Grove has been activated,” per SportsNet LA's David Vassegh. “Grove is expected to be a weapon out of the bullpen for the Dodgers.”
The 26-year-old righty was on the injured list with a lat issue and has not pitched for LA since Aug. 5. This is an audition of sorts for Grove, as he can potentially earn himself a spot on the MLB playoffs roster over the final nine games of the regular season. The previous results were shaky, as evident by a 6.61 ERA in 15 appearances. Manager Dave Roberts and the front office clearly see some promise in Grove, though, so it will be interesting to see if he can validate their faith.
Stone's struggles were even more profound. The 24-year-old has a 9.00 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 31 innings of work this season. He has spent multiple stints with the Dodgers in 2023 but continues to get rocked. Stone surrendered three runs on two home runs in just over four innings Friday night against the San Francisco Giants. It will likely be the final time fans see him take the mound this year.
The LA bullpen has been much better in the second half of the season, but Roberts can use all the depth he can muster in October. Michael Grove is officially under the microscope.
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