Dodgers notes: Alex Vesia, Daniel Hudson, minor league standouts

Alex Vesia is back with the Dodgers after four weeks in Triple-A, called up Tuesday when starter Gavin Stone was optioned to Oklahoma City.

Vesia struggled with a 7.84 ERA in the majors this season, but allowed only one unearned run over his last 9⅓ innings in Triple-A, with 18 strikeouts before getting called back up. Vesia will now hope to reclaim his role as a setup man within the Dodgers bullpen, behind arms such as Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips.

Dave Roberts elaborated on Vesia’s situation with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA prior to Tuesday’s game against Washington:

“He told me that he’s throwing the baseball really well [in AAA]. I think just to get him out of this environment, to get back to his mechanics and throw the baseball the way he’s capable of, and to his credit, he did, so he’s ready to go and very anxious.”

Vesia’s first game back didn’t go well, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk, including a home run, while getting only two outs in the seventh inning on Tuesday.

Links

• Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times provides an update on reliever Daniel Hudson after his recent throwing session:

“He used his entire pitch mix Tuesday and said he came out of it ‘feeling like I’m ready to make that next step.’ That would be returning to Arizona to resume facing hitters this weekend and hopefully begin a minor league rehabilitation stint later in June.”

• Juan Toribio of MLB.com provides updates on the Dodgers farm system, including who has been the top performers at each level.
• Joel Reuter from Bleacher Report gives his power rankings for all 30 teams, ranking the Dodgers as the 5th best team in the game, as well as the best team within the National League.
• Freddie Freeman has had a historic month of May, as he set the Dodgers’ franchise record for the most doubles in the month of May, while also extending his hitting streak to 19 games in the process. Dave Roberts spoke with reporters prior to Monday’s game against Washington to discuss how impressed he’s been with Freeman’s production:

“‘You know what’s interesting with Freddie is that he’s just as consistent of a player on both sides of the ball, every facet that I’ve ever seen,’ Roberts said. ‘And to be quite honest, I can’t tell he’s on a hot streak. I just feel like when he’s kind of struggling or not getting hits, it’s the same to me. I still think the at-bat quality, the quality of contact is pretty similar.’”

• While it is well-known that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier for American professional sports, the Nashua Dodgers were originally the first team to have an integrated roster, doing so in 1946. Michael Casey of the Associated Press recounts the story of how the city of Nashua, NH allowed Dodger greats Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe to become a part of a pioneering team.