All signs point to Paco Rodriguez joining Dodgers in St. Louis

ALBUQUERQUE -- Left-handed relief pitcher Paco Rodriguez is expected to join the Dodgers in St. Louis on Friday, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. Rodriguez will recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill the vacant roster spot left when right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez, though nothing yet has been announced by the organization or the Isotopes.

The Isotopes used five relief pitchers in their 10-9 loss on Thursday night to Sacramento, but Rodriguez wasn't one of them. In fact, Rodriguez was not in the bullpen nor in the dugout during Thursday's game.

Unless the Dodgers plan to carry fewer than 12 pitchers for the first time stateside all season, they will call up a reliever to replace Baez. The other options on the 40-man roster - Yimi Garcia, Matt Magill, Scott Elbert, Jose Dominguez and Colt Hynes - were all in Albuquerque, and those first three all pitched Thursday night.

Elbert was even confirmed to pitch again for Albuquerque on Saturday night on his rehab assignment.

So it really has to be Rodriguez getting the call on Friday.

The 23-year-old left-hander is 2-3 with a 4.56 ERA in 29 games with the Isotopes this season, with 34 strikeouts, 14 walks and three home runs allowed in 25⅔ innings.

Albuquerque manager Damon Berryhill after Thursday's game would not confirm that Rodriguez is headed for St. Louis, where the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Cardinals.

"You'll just have to wait until tomorrow I guess," Berryhill said.