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A look back at the 2016 season for Chin-hui Tsao, signed to a minor league deal for a second straight year. He pitched in two major league games before getting hurt.
What went right
Tsao signed a minor league deal returning to the Dodgers, and after a 3.31 ERA in 17 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City he earned a call-up to the majors for a second straight season.
The right-hander retired the Angels in order in the eighth inning in Anaheim in his first 2016 game with the Dodgers.
What went wrong
In his second game, on May 21 in San Diego, Tsao allowed a single to open the 11th inning, then got a fly out for the first out of the inning. Melvin Upton nearly hit a walk-off home run for a second straight day, but instead flew out to the warning track in left for the second out.
But the Padres won anyway when Tsao walked the next three batters on 14 pitches to force home the winning run. He also hurt himself in the process, hitting the disabled list two days later with a right triceps strain.
Tsao didn’t pitch again the rest of the season.
Tsao’s three walks were the most by a Dodgers pitcher in a season with no strikeouts since Bobby Darwin walked five with zero strikeouts in 1969.
2016 particulars
Age: 35
Stats: 0-1, 5.40 ERA, 2 games, 1⅔ IP, 3 walks
Salary: unknown
Game of the year
Tsao pitched a 1-2-3 inning on May 19 against the Angels.
Roster status
With four years, 75 days of major league service time, Tsao is eligible for salary arbitration, and has two option years remaining. MLB Trade Rumors projected Tsao to earn $800,000 in 2017 through arbitration, if he survives the roster crunch and keeps his spot on the 40-man.