The Los Angeles Dodgers sent O’Koyea Dickson outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and reinstated Grant Dayton, Yimi Garcia, Scott Kazmir, Adam Liberatore, Josh Ravin and Andrew Toles from the 60-day disabled list.
The flurry of activity came on the heels of the Dodgers paying the $2.5 million buyout on Andre Ethier’s contract, thus making him a free agent, and the club exercising their option on Logan Forsythe for 2018. As it stands, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster is full.
Dickson made his MLB debut this season and went on to appear in seven games for the Dodgers. He had one hit and drew two walks in nine plate appearances. In 116 games with Oklahoma City, Dickson batted .246/.328/.484 with 22 doubles, 24 home runs and 76 RBI.
He’s now removed from the 40-man roster, which is noteworthy considering the 27-year-old is out of Minor League options.
Dayton was transferred to the 60-day DL on the first day active rosters expanded, in one of the corresponding moves to the Dodgers adding Dickson, Ethier and Alex Verdugo. Dayton is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery.
He was placed on the 10-day DL in April due to a left intercostal strain, then twice was put on the DL in July because of neck stiffness.
The injuries limited the left-hander to 29 games with the Dodgers, and five relief appearances for Oklahoma City this season. He went 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA, 5.72 FIP and 1.31 WHIP with Los Angeles, and yielded a 7.71 ERA and 2.14 WHIP in Triple-A.
Garcia missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2016. That was after he managed to appear in only nine games for the Dodgers — all coming in April — because of multiple injuries.
The first was right biceps soreness that forced the Dodgers to place Garcia on the DL, and it prevented him from throwing off a mound until July.
At that time, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts estimated Garcia was two weeks away from beginning a rehab assignment. Garcia accomplished as much, but suffered a knee injury last August while on rehab with Double-A Tulsa.
It was then reported the 26-year-old was unlikely to pitch again in 2016. That was set in stone once Garcia underwent surgery last September to remove a bone fragment in his left knee, and the reconstructive elbow surgery followed.
Garcia ranked second on the team in 2015 with 59 appearances, and he posted a 3.34 ERA over 56.2 innings pitched.
Kazmir also failed to pitch for the Dodgers this season. His year was thrown off course during Spring Training, which saw an extension of the same hip trouble that plagued the southpaw’s 2016 campaign.
Kazmir made multiple rehab starts and worked with a body mechanics specialist in effort to improve his condition and velocity, but never came off the disabled list. He’s entering the final year of his contract, though the Dodgers have deferred salary through 2021.
Liberatore was placed on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness, then was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 28 with an updated diagnosis of a left elbow strain. In September, it was decided he would no longer pitch in 2017.
Liberatore allowed just one run on three hits, while recording five strikeouts against two walks in 3.1 innings across four relief appearances with the Dodgers. He pitched in three games for Oklahoma City, going 0-1 with a 0.93 ERA.
Ravin began the regular season on the disabled list due to a groin injury suffered in Spring Training. He joined Oklahoma City in May, and his first stint with the Dodgers came one month later.
Ravin was 4-0 with two saves, a 4.33 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched in 30 games with OKC, and 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in 14 games for the Dodgers. He was placed on the 60-day DL in September due to an abdomen strain.
Toles saw his season come to an end in May when he was diagnosed with a torn ACL as a result of a sliding catch attempt in left field at Dodger Stadium. His all-out effort was in part due to Julio Urias having a no-hitter at the time.
Toles hit .271/.314/.458 with three doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI in 31 games (19 starts) this season. He recently begun swinging a bat as he eyes a full return in 2018.
