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With rosters set to expand tomorrow, the Dodgers will promote their top position player prospect Alex Verdugo from Triple-A, according to multiple reports that were eventually confirmed by manager Dave Roberts.
Verdugo, 21, will join the team in San Diego after slashing .314/.389/.436 in 117 games at the Triple-A level, and drew 52 walks while striking out 50 times. The former second round pick also enjoyed a stretch this summer in which he reached base in 41 consecutive games. Verdugo was ranked 27th by Baseball Prospectus in their midseason prospect rankings.
The Dodgers’ offense experienced a rare slump last week, scoring just 24 runs over seven games while being shut out twice in that span. The team is hoping for a spark with the arrival of Verdugo and the return of Cody Bellinger, who has been on the DL since August 22nd.
With Joc Pederson expected to remain at Triple-A, Verdugo could find significant September playing time as the Dodgers close in on clinching the NL West. They currently have a cozy 17-game lead despite losing their last four games.