When the Dodgers announced on Friday afternoon that they had signed 29-year-old free agent right-handed reliever Erik Goeddel, it all but sealed the fate of someone in the beleaguered Dodgers bullpen.

In his five relief appearances with the Mariners this season Goeddel posted a 2-0 record and outstanding 1.23 ERA. He struck out nine and walked five in his 7.1 innings pitched, while allowing only four hits (no home runs).

Even though the team announced that they had designated 25-year-old former 2011 first-round draft pick (by the Red Sox) Henry Owens for assignment to make room for Goeddel on their 40-man roster, the 29-year-old San Mateo, California native and former UCLA Bruin is out of options, meaning that he has to immediately be added to the Dodgers 25-man roster, which is currently full. In other words, someone in the aforementioned beleaguered Dodgers bullpen has to go.

And then the rains came.

Shortly after noon Pacific Time, the announcement came that Friday night’s series opener between the Dodgers and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park had been postponed due to heavy rain in our nation’s capital. As a result, the two teams will – weather permitting – play a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.

As most baseball fans know, teams are permitted to add a 26th man to their roster in the event of a doubleheader, a rule enacted in 2011. The 26th Man Rule reads as follows:

1. The “26th man” must be on the club’s MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) or has to be added to the club’s 40-man roster that day.
2. The “26th man” does not have to be a pitcher.
3. In the case of a doubleheader that is scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, the 26-man Active List limit is in effect for both games of the doubleheader, but the “26th man” cannot be switched between games.
4. A player can be added to a club’s Active List as the “26th man” even if he has not spent the minimum required 10 days on optional or outright assignment prior to being added.
5. The player who was recalled as the “26th man” can remain on the Active List and a different player can be dropped the next day, as long as the “26th man” was not called up prior to spending at least ten days on optional assignment. NOTE: A player called up as the “26th man” prior to spending at least ten days on Optional Assignment could remain on the 25-man roster if the player replaces a player who is placed on the Disabled List (or other MLB inactive list) the day after the doubleheader.
6. If a player is recalled as the “26th man” and is optioned back to the minors the next day, the “10-day rule” clock (prohibiting a player from being recalled until he has spent at least ten days on Optional Assignment, unless he is replacing a player who is placed on the DL or other MLB inactive list) does not start over again. However many days toward ten that the player spent on Optional Assignment prior to being recalled as the “26th man” counts.
7. A player recalled as a “26th man” accrues one day of MLB Service Time.

Although the Dodgers have yet to announce who their 26th man will be for Saturday’s doubleheader, it was reported by Southern California News Group Dodgers beat writer J.P. Hoornstra that Goeddel would be joining the team in Washington DC. I mean, let’s be honest here, why on earth would Goeddel not be that 26th man when the Dodgers will undoubtedly be forced to use everyone in their struggling bullpen for the twin billing, right?

But there is an underlying – yet huge – factor in play here that all but guarantees that it will be Goeddel who will be the Dodgers 26th man on Saturday (or perhaps Sunday in the event of yet another rainout). The 26th Man Rule buys the Dodgers time to decide – or at least confirm – which of the Dodgers current eight relievers will be designated for assignment, optioned, or placed on the disabled list … something that the Dodgers are extremely prone to doing.

It’s no secret that right-handers Pedro Baez, JT Chargois, and more recently Josh Fields have struggled over the past few weeks and, quite frankly, would not be missed by Dodger fans if it were one of these three to go. That being said, it is also no secret that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, and general manager Farhan Zaidi – for reasons that we will probably never know – absolutely love Pedro Baez; the same Pedro Baez who (seemingly) blows every game that he enters, usually to a chorus of boos from Dodger fans.

Baez was called for a balk when he literally fell off the mound during a game against the Giants on April 27.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)

Truth be told, Baez is currently 1-2 on the season and owns a 4.12 earned run average over the 19 games in which he has appeared thus far this season. And while a 4.12 ERA most certainly won’t win you a Cy Young award, it’s actually better than those of Chargois (4.80), Scott Alexander (5.14), Daniel Hudson (6.75), and Pat Venditte (6.75). (Note: This does not include left-hander Tony Cingrani (5.79), who is expected to be activated from the 10-day DL within the next few days).

In the simplest of terms, because of Friday’s (and possibly Saturday’s) rainout, and because of the 26-man Rule, someone in the Dodgers bullpen has been given a temporary stay of execution.

Who that someone is remains to be seen.

Stay tuned.