One day after losing All-Star third baseman to a fractured left wrist, the Dodgers made several additional cuts to their spring training roster on Tuesday afternoon.

The latest to be sent to minor league camp were 22-year-old outfielder Alex Verdugo and 30-year-old catcher Rocky Gale, with Verdugo being optioned (he is on the Dodgers 40-man roster) and Gale reassigned (he is not).

Although neither move was unexpected, Verdugo very well might have made the Dodgers Opening Day roster were it not for the outstanding spring that 33-year-old current former Dodger Matt Kemp has had, which essentially took Verdugo out of the running.

These latest cuts technically leave 32 players in Dodgers major league spring training camp, but with Julio Urias, Tom Koehler and now Justin Turner expected to begin the season on the 60-day disabled list, that number is actually 29, meaning that four more cuts remain before Opening Day on March 29.

Of the original 22 non-roster invitees to major league camp, only switch-pitcher Pat Venditte remains. In the nine spring training games in which the 32-year-old Omaha, Nebraska native has appeared, Venditte has allowed only two runs (both solo home runs) on seven hits, while walking two and striking out 13 in his 10.1 innings of work. Those numbers equate to a 1.74 ERA, tops on the team among all Dodger relievers with more than seven innings pitched this spring.

Although still unique and extremely rare, switch-pitcher Pat Venditte has been outstanding from both sides of the mound for the Dodgers this spring. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The loss of unofficial team captain Justin Turner on Monday night is unquestionably a devastating blow to the Dodgers. But as is always the case in such situations, it opens the door for another player. In this case, that player appears to be Dodgers number three catcher Kyle Farmer, who also plays a very good third base. And while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already intimated that veteran second baseman Logan Forsythe will more than likely fill in for Turner for what is guesstimated to be at least four to six weeks, it is impossible to ignore that Farmer has flat out raked this spring, going 13-for-33 at the plate with three home runs, while posting an alien-like slash-line of .394 / .475 / .818 for a remarkable 1.293 OPS.

Of the 13 hits Kyle Farmer has had thus far this spring, three have been home runs.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although the four remaining roster cuts could come at any time, chances are that the Dodgers will not make them until after the final spring training game on March 28 against the Angels during the annual pre-season Freeway Series in Southern California. That being said, those final four cuts will undoubtedly be the toughest yet for Roberts, general manager Farhan Zaidi, and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

Stay tuned…