Although there has been no official announcement yet, ThinkBlueLA has learned that Dodgers top right-handed pitching prospect Dennis Santana has been promoted from Double-A Tulsa to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

What’s the big deal, you ask?

The big deal is that if you haven’t noticed, the Dodgers bullpen is an absolute mess right now and in desperate need of change. That change could very well include the 22-year-old converted shortstop and (now former) Drillers ace.

Santana, who was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2012 at the tender age of 16, has been used almost exclusively as a starting pitcher since 2015 … a very successful starting pitcher. In fact, in spite of his 0-2 record in his eight starts with Tulsa this season, the extremely popular San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic native owns an outstanding 2.56 ERA.

Santana leaves the Drillers with an outstanding 2.56 ERA.
(Photo credit – Cory Young)

But wait, there’s more!

Santana is – or at least was until his promotion to OKC late Tuesday night – tied with San Antonio Missions left-hander Logan Allen with 51 strikeouts to lead the highly competitive Texas League. The difference, and it is significant, is that Santana did so in only 38.2 innings pitched, whereas Allen has done so in 48.1 innings pitched. Santana allowed only 14 walks, as compared to Allen’s 21.

Obviously, Santana must first log some innings at the Triple-A level before even being considered for a call-up to the Dodgers. However, as a pure starter – at least to this point – an eventual promotion to The Show would allow the Dodgers to free up some roster spots in their struggling bullpen (if you get my drift), and perhaps fill them with Brock Stewart, and/or Ross Stripling, and/or (dare I say it) Kenta Maeda.

Although all three of these guys have had success as starters, all three have also proven themselves to be very good relievers on a team that desperately needs very good relievers.

There is one significant glitch in this Santana-to-the-Dodgers-starting-rotation thing – a guy named Julio Urias.

As every Dodger fan on the planet knows, the 21-year-old left-handed Culiacan, Mexico native underwent anterior capsule surgery to his left shoulder on June 27, 2017. But what they might not know is that Urias pitched from in front of a mound for the first time on Tuesday.

Although Urias is clearly ahead of Santana on the Dodgers pitching depth chart, there is zero doubt that the Dodgers plan to be abundantly cautious with their prize young lefty as he works his way back from his surgery. In fact, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has repeatedly said that it is unlikely that Urias would be ready to pitch on the major league level before the second half of the 2018 season.

As such, and with the success that Santana has enjoyed thus far this season (albeit at the Double-A level), should he continue in his success with the Triple-A OKC Dodgers, he could very well be pitching under the lights at Dodger Stadium before Urias does.

Stay tuned…