The Los Angeles Dodgers made a pair of roster moves on Friday, officially transferring rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki to the 60-day injured list to clear a 40-man roster spot for newly acquired left-hander Zach Penrod, who arrives via trade from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations.
Los Angeles Dodgers Transfer Roki Sasaki to 60-Day IL, Acquire Lefty Zach Penrod from Red Sox
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Sasaki, 22, has been on the injured list since May 13 with a right shoulder impingement. Initially hopeful for a return by late June, his recovery stalled, prompting the Dodgers to shut him down from throwing earlier this month. Though Sasaki resumed light work with plyo balls on June 16, general manager Brandon Gomes emphasized the team is taking a cautious approach.
“Feeling good coming out of that, so now it’s continuing to build a foundation,” Gomes said. “What that looks like, it’s still very early in the process.”
Sasaki now won’t be eligible to return until July 12. In eight starts, the highly touted rookie has struggled, posting a 4.72 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, with nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24) over 34.1 innings.
Penrod’s Unconventional Path
To fill Sasaki’s roster spot, the Dodgers turned to Penrod, a 28-year-old lefty whose journey to the majors is anything but typical. After signing as an undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers in 2018, Penrod was released in 2020 and spent three years in independent ball before impressing with the Red Sox organization in 2024.
Penrod earned a call-up last September, posting a 2.25 ERA over seven games. Though an elbow injury sidelined him for much of spring training, he has returned to post a 15% swinging-strike rate in Triple-A — a mark that suggests his bat-missing potential remains intact.
While command issues persist, Penrod gives the Dodgers a hard-throwing option with all three minor league options intact — a valuable asset for a team known for churning its bullpen depth. With Sasaki’s return timeline uncertain, Penrod could quickly factor into the Dodgers’ pitching plans down the stretch.