2021 Dodgers in review: Conner Greene

August was an interesting time for the Dodgers pitching staff. Conner Greene started the month and ended the month with the Orioles, but in between he was with Los Angeles, emblematic of the Dodgers’ roster churn during the month.

Max Scherzer was added to the staff, but Clayton Kershaw was still a month away from returning, Tony Gonsolin’s shoulder soreness returned, and David Price was nearing the end of his rope as a stretched-out starter. LA’s had essentially a three-headed rotation of Scherzer, Walker Buehler, and Julio Urías. The remainder of innings were filled by occasional “bulk” outings but mostly by heavy, heavy bullpen usage.

Taxing the bullpen necessitated a roster churn, with either pitchers riding the option train back and forth from the minors or new additions joining the cause. Greene qualified as the latter, claimed off waivers from the Orioles on August 9.

Greene, who joined the team one day later, pitched in two games for the Dodgers, allowing only two singles in two scoreless innings. He retired six of his eight batters faced, and struck out two.

The Dodgers optioned Greene to Triple-A after his one week on the active roster, because that’s the track they were on. In August alone, the Dodgers used 26 pitchers, including 22 pitchers in relief. Both are franchise records.

Greene never pitched for Oklahoma City. Three days after he was optioned, Greene was designated for assignment. The Dodgers apparently only had room for one Greene on the 40-man roster, with Shane signed to a deal on August 20.

Three days later, Conner Greene was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. He returned to Baltimore exactly two weeks after he left. That’s the life of a reliever sometimes.

2021 particulars

Age: 26

Stats: 7.11 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 4.42 xERA, 24 G, 25⅓ IP, 26 K, 12 BB

Salary: unknown

Game of the year

Both of Greene’s outings with the Dodgers had the same results — one scoreless inning, one single, one strikeout, one game finished. We’ll go with his Dodgers debut here, on August 10 in Philadelphia, because he entered with a five-run lead, a closer game than he appearance five days later.

Greene was the 33rd of 39 pitchers used by the Dodgers in 2021, beating the old franchise record by eight pitchers.

Roster status

Greene cleared waivers and was sent outright by Baltimore to the minors on November 3, and he elected free agency.