Following Saturday night’s exciting 6-5 walk-off win over the defending 2017 National League Central Division champion Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers announced their first-round of major league roster cuts, as they begin to focus in on what their Opening Day 25-man roster will look like. And while such cuts are never warm and fuzzy, there were certainly no real surprises among them.

Optioned to minors (still on 40-man roster):

• Tim Locastro
• Henry Owens
• Dennis Santana
• Brock Stewart

Reassigned to minor league spring training camp:

• Matt Beaty
• Joe Broussard
• Daniel Corcino
• Yusniel Diaz
• Drew Jackson
• C.C. Lee
• Brian Moran
• Zach Neal
• DJ Peters
• Brian Schlitter
• Yaisel Sierra
• Henry Ramos
• Edwin Rios
• Keibert Ruiz
• Travis Taijeron
• Shawn Zarraga

After Saturday night’s roster moves, there are now only eight non-roster invitees remaining in Dodgers big league camp. They are:

• Manny Banuelos
• Mark Lowe
• Pat Venditte
• Rocky Gale
• Will Smith
• Max Muncy
• Jake Peter
• Donovan Solano

Although Stewart was among those optioned to the minors on Saturday night, one has to believe that he would be among the first to be called back up to the Dodgers, if needed. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

There may be some with raised eyebrows about Stewart being optioned to the minors after Dodgers manager Dave Roberts repeatedly told reporters during the off-season of their plans to stretch Stewart (and fellow right-hander Ross Stripling) out, to possibly include one or both of them in the Dodgers Opening Day starting rotation. That being said, it is absolutely impossible to ignore what right-hander Walker Buehler – the Dodgers 2015 first-round draft out of Vanderbilt University – did in his Cactus League debut on Saturday night.

All the 23-year-old Lexington, Kentucky native did was toss two innings of shutout ball (in relief), while allowing only one hit, no walks, and striking out five of the seven batters he faced.

But wait, there’s more!

Of the 26 total pitches that Buehler made on Saturday night, he consistently hit the 98-MPH mark on the Camelback Ranch radar gun with his fastball. And while many expected the 6′-2″ / 175 hard-throwing right-hander to be somewhere in the 95-mph range as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery in August of 2015, few expected that he would be closer to the century mark than those 95-MPH predictions. And for good measure, he also picked up the win on Saturday night.

Buehler improved his chances significantly to possibly be in the Dodgers Opening Day starting rotation with his brilliant performance in his Cactus League debut on Saturday night. Realistically, however, it would probably take an injury to do so. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo / Click on image to view video)

Although Dodger fans may not like to hear it, Buehler is drawing comparisons to former Giants ace Tim Lincecum. And once you get past the sour taste that may leave, it’s actually a rather favorable comp. Keep in mind that the former Dodgers nemesis, who was just recently signed by the Texas Rangers, owns a very impressive 110-89 career record and 3.74 ERA over his 10 major league seasons. That being said, Buehler is also drawing comparisons to a much more favorable right-hander; one with which he already shares an endearing nickname – Orel “Bulldog” Hershiser; and how can any Dodger fan not absolutely love that comparison?

With two full weeks and 15 spring training games remaining after Sunday’s contest with the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields, the Dodgers still have several more cuts to make. As a result, those remaining 15 spring training games are no longer take on a lot more significance and are most certainly no longer considered ‘meaningless spring training games’ for those who mistakenly consider them as such.

Play Ball!