Dodgers designate Romo for assignment
When Dave Roberts sized up the Dodgers’ eighth-inning committee Sunday, he did not mention the one pitcher the team signed in the off- season to cover the eighth inning.
His role reduced to an afterthought, Sergio Romo threw four pitches for the Dodgers in July. Thursday, he was designated for assignment to make room for lefthanded reliever Grant Dayton, who was activated from the 10day disabled list.
Romo went 1-1 with a 6.12 ERA in 30 games. He allowed seven home runs in 25 innings, the most of any Dodgers reliever.
The Dodgers have 10 days to trade Romo, release him, or outright him to the minor leagues. Any team can claim Romo off waivers over the next seven days.
“He always wanted to be a Dodger,” Roberts said. “He had a chance to live that. He wishes, we wish, the circumstance was different.”
From the outset of the season, Romo could not rely on the pitch that once made him an elite closer. He threw his slider this season more often than any major league pitcher. A year ago, opponents had a .483 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) against Romo’s slider. In 2017 that figure ballooned to .867.
That allowed Pedro Baez, Brandon Morrow, Josh Fields and Ross Stripling to pass Romo on the Dodgers’ right- handed reliever depth chart.
Romo, 34, pitched nine seasons for the San Francisco Giants before signing a one-year, $3 million contract with the Dodgers in February. — JP Hoornstra
Marlins deal reliever Phelps
The Miami Marlins’ highly touted bullpen has been a bust, and so the dismantling began Thursday.
A seller once again as the nonwaiver trade deadline approaches, Miami sent right-hander David Phelps to Seattle for four prospects, including highly regarded outfielder Brayan Hernandez.
Also acquired by the Marlins to shore up their weak farm system were right-handed pitching pros- pects Pablo Lopez, Brandon Miller and Lukas Schiraldi.
Phelps is 2- 4 with a 3.45 ERA in 44 games and 47 innings this season, all in relief. The bullpen was expected to be a strength, but it faltered and the Marlins appear destined to miss the playoffs for the 14th year in a row, the longest such drought in the NL.
As a result, Miami is shedding payroll for prospects.
“This is something we hoped we could have avoided,” president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. “As we look to the rest of the season, we wanted to see if we could get value for certain assets. Relief pitching brings a lot of value.”
Closer A. J. Ramos is also a target of trade talk.
“It has been very comparable to the David Phelps market,” Hill said. “As teams look to solidify their bullpen, A. J. should be someone they have interest in.”
Around the majors
Minnesota is in the final stages of acquiring left- hander Jaime Garcia in a trade with Atlanta for a minor league player, sources told ESPN and the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. Garcia is a nineyear veteran, eight of them with St. Louis, who owns a career 3.65 ERA, though it has slipped to 4.33 this season. ...
The Cubs have won six straight and are just a game behind slumping Milwaukee in the NL Central as they begin a home series today against St. Louis. Chicago righthander Jake Arrieta (9-7, 4.17) has trimmed half a run off his ERA over his past four starts and can reach double digits in victories for the fourth straight season. AllStar Carlos Martinez (6- 8, 3.36) counters for the Cardinals seeking his first victory since June 16. ...
Starling Marte is back from his 80- game steroids suspension today, and Pittsburgh is making a charge in the NL Central, winning 11 of 13. After completing a fourgame sweep of Milwaukee, the Pirates begin a nine- game trip out West when they visit Colorado.
Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is 15 hits shy of 3,000 heading into a three- game series at Tampa Bay. He is tied with Sam Rice for 31st place on the career list.