Pedro Báez activated from injured list

The Dodgers activated Pedro Báez from the injured list, adding one of Dave Roberts’ most trusted arms back into the bullpen. Báez missed 19 games with a right groin strain, having last pitched on August 19.

Báez has a 3.97 ERA and 5.40 FIP In his 11 appearances this year, both rates the highest of his career. That coincided with an average fastball (94.4 mph) about a mile and a half below last year, and Báez allowed runs in three straight appearances before getting placed on the injured list, including home runs allowed in his last two games.

“I don’t think he has been 100-percent physically right, for me,” Roberts said on August 21. “Hopefully this could be a good thing in the sense of getting his body back, getting this groin thing taken care of. And once we get him back, we can ride him throughout the postseason.”

Báez’s 23 postseason relief appearances rank second in Dodgers history, behind Kenley Jansen’s 41. Dating back to 2014, that duo ranks first and tied for seventh in most playoff relief games in MLB.

To make roster room for Báez, the Dodgers optioned pitcher Dennis Santana to the alternate training site at USC. Santana has a 5.29 ERA and 5.72 FIP in 12 games this season, with 18 strikeouts and seven walks in 17 innings. He pitched once in the previous nine games.