2021 Dodgers in review: Edwin Ríos

It was a rough season for Edwin Ríos, who struggled at the plate and missed most of the year after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in May.

On May 5, the Dodgers placed Ríos on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Just over a week later, we learned that Rios would be undergoing surgery and his 2021 season would be over.

“It just wasn’t getting better,” Ríos said to reporters in May. “When we took a look at it, it was worse than we thought and the doctor said I need surgery.

“It’s sad. Me and my wife were not too happy because obviously I want to be out there. Missing the year is frustrating. We’re going to rehab this thing and I’ll be back stronger.”

He didn’t use the injury as an excuse for his production, but there was clearly something wrong with Ríos prior to his injury. In only 25 games he had a -0.8 bWAR. He was 4-for-51 at the plate and was in the middle of a 1-for-40 stretch when he was placed on the IL.

He looked completely different than the player the Dodgers were used to seeing over the previous two seasons. From 2019-2020, Ríos posted a .972 OPS with 12 home runs in 60 career games.

Ríos was expected to be a solid option off for the bench for the Dodgers in 2021. With him missing the season, their depth took a noticeable hit.

He’s expected to be ready to go for the start of the 2022 season.

2021 particulars

Age: 27

Stats: .078/.217/.137/.354, 1 HR, 1 RBI, -1 OPS+, 12 wRC+, -0.8 bWAR, -0.5 fWAR

Salary: $575,000

Game of the year

His moment of the year came on April 6 when he hit his only home run of the season.

Roster status

Ríos has two years and 43 days of service time. He’s eligible for salary arbitration in 2023.