LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers made a flurry of roster moves before Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Giants, placing left-hander Tarik Skubal on the bereavement list, recalling right-handers Emmet Sheehan and Kyle Hurt from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioning right-hander Seth Halvorsen.
The Dodgers also gave right fielder Kyle Tucker Sunday off after he fouled a ball off the lower knee/upper shin area on his right leg on Saturday night. Manager Dave Roberts does not think the soreness will become an ongoing issue for Tucker, who is expected back in the lineup on Tuesday.
Here's how these moves will impact the Dodgers on Sunday and beyond:
Skubal will be away from the team for "a couple days," Roberts said. Players may spend between three to seven days on the bereavement list, so Skubal might not miss his next start, which is projected to come on Friday in San Francisco.
"Some personal stuff going on," Roberts said, "but he's fine."
Skubal is 4-2 with a 2.95 ERA in nine starts since being dealt to L.A. ahead of the Trade Deadline.
Sheehan was set to pitch bulk innings on Sunday behind opener Jack Dreyer. The thought was that pitching Sheehan behind an opener could not only help him get deeper into the game, but also prepare him for a possible bullpen role in the postseason, which would be his only path to making the roster.
In his previous two starts for the Dodgers, Sheehan allowed one earned run across 11 2/3 innings. After a strong stint in Triple-A, he has looked to trend in the right direction in what has been an inconsistent season overall (5-8, 4.79 ERA).
Tucker has heated up at the end of the first season of his four-year, $240 million contract, which has been disappointing (his .728 OPS is on track to be a career-worst mark in a full season). Since Sept. 9, he's hitting 15-for-35 (.429) with five home runs and 35 total bases, his most in a 10-game span this season.
On Saturday, Tucker exited the game after six innings due to a combination of the hit-by-pitch and the lopsided score. He said he feels fine, but Roberts decided to give him an extra day to rest after Tucker had played the previous nine games without a day off.
"I feel like everyone's grinding at this point in the season," Tucker said. "But I'll be good with it."