Dodgers sign Ryan Sherriff to minor league deal

The Dodgers signed left-hander Ryan Sherriff to a minor league deal, the latest veteran pitcher the team has taken a flier on since the season has started.

Sherriff was added to Triple-A Oklahoma City’s roster on Tuesday for a six-game series in Reno.

The 33-year-old Sherriff pitched in five games for the Red Sox this season, with a 2.70 ERA in 6⅔ innings, with five strikeouts and two walks. He was on the up-and-down between Boston and Triple-A Worcester, putting up a 2.82 ERA in the International League in 22⅓ innings, with 24 strikeouts and 10 walks.

The Red Sox sent Sherriff outright to the minors on July 10 but, as someone who has been previously outrighted, he had the right to refuse the assignment, and instead elected free agency.

Sherriff has pitched parts of five major league seasons dating back to 2017 with the Cardinals, Rays, and Red Sox, with a 3.53 ERA in 49 games with 41 strikeouts and 19 walks in 51 innings. His career splits are extreme, holding left-handed batters to just .146/.211/.171 while righties hit .313/.409/.482 against him.

Since the season started, the Dodgers have signed a few veteran pitchers to major league deals. Ryan Brasier, Sherriff’s teammate earlier this season in Boston, is the most notable as he’s been occasionally pitching leverage innings in the Dodgers bullpen, with. 1.20 ERA in 15 innings since signing with the Dodgers in June.

Left-hander Mike Montgomery signed a minor league deal in June, and has been starting and pitching bulk relief for Oklahoma City with a 3.34 ERA in 29⅔ innings for the 34-year-old.

Ken Giles, a former closer, signed with the Dodgers in May as he works his way back from three injury-plagued seasons. The 32-year-old right-hander pitched a few games in the Arizona Complex League before joining Oklahoma City after the All-Star break, where he’s allowed four runs in three innings thus far.

Should Sherriff get called up to the Dodgers, he used two of his five options this season while with the Red Sox.