Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
By Jon Weisman
Nick Tepesch, whom the Dodgers signed to a minor-league contract June 6, has been added to the 40-man roster and will start Friday’s series opener in Pittsburgh.
The transaction will officially take place Friday, when a corresponding roster move will also be announced.
The 27-year-old Tepesch, who was born the day of Orel Hershiser’s 1988 National League Championship Series Game 7 shutout, has a 2.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 17 strikeouts in 18 innings (three starts) for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He had been cut loose by the Texas Rangers’ Round Rock affiliate, for whom he had a 4.11 ERA.
Tepesch pitched in the Major Leagues in 2013-14 for the Rangers, with a 4.56 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 219 innings.
With Tepesch pitching Friday, the Dodgers can use Kenta Maeda and Clayton Kershaw on five days’ rest over the weekend, then Scott Kazmir on Monday to conclude the wraparound four-game series against the Pirates.
Don Bright
So 40 man move probably is Ian Thomas DFA’d, and 25 man move is either Kike or SVS optioned. However, they could do everything by DFA Venable.