Dodgers not looking to expand Amed Rosario’s role despite one-year improvement

Rosario hit .300 against right- and left-handed pitching while with Tampa Bay this season but the Dodgers only plan to use him against left-handers.

OAKLAND — The Dodgers acquired Amed Rosario at the trade deadline for one reason.

And apparently one reason only.

The Dodgers plan to use Rosario only against left-handed pitching, according to Manager Dave Roberts, despite the fact that Rosario is a .299 hitter against right-handed pitching this season (a significant improvement over his career numbers).

“Honestly, to be quite frank, he’s not on this team, and we didn’t acquire him, to be an everyday player — he didn’t play every day in Tampa — and to hit righties,” Roberts said when questioned on the topic Saturday. “That’s just kind of the way I see it.”

Roberts said he didn’t spend much time “digging into” Rosario’s numbers against right-handed pitching this season and could offer no explanation for his improvement over his career splits – numbers the Dodgers clearly trust more than his more neutral results in one season.

Rosario’s glove might be the real reason the Dodgers are not forcing his bat into a lineup that could use a boost. Rosario played right field, third base and shortstop for Tampa Bay this season and has played second base in the past.

The Dodgers feel they have superior defenders at each position in Jason Heyward, Kike’ Hernandez and Nick Ahmed– though none have contributed much offensively recently.

“I love Kiké’s defense at third,” Roberts said. “Jason’s been a mainstay in right field versus left and obviously Teo(Hernandez has also played right field). Gavin (Lux) has been swinging a really hot bat and the defense for Nicky Ahmed I think is as good as anybody in baseball.

“We acquired Amed to hit lefties, and his track record has echoed that. But yeah, he’s played good baseball this year. He really has.”

Rosario entered Friday’s game as a pinch-hitter against lefty reliever T.J. McFarland and doubled. He stayed in at shortstop and grounded out against right-hander Michel Otanez.

FREEMAN UPDATE

The Dodgers are hoping Freddie Freeman could rejoin the team at some point during the home series against the Philadelphia Phillies beginning Monday.

Freeman’s three-year-old son, Maximus, remains hospitalized. Chelsea Freeman posted on Instagram this week that Maximus had been diagnosed with a neurological condition called Guillan-Barre’ Syndrome.

RETURN PLANS

Mookie Betts’ return is “trending” towards August 12 or 13, Roberts said. Betts is one of a handful of injured players who are expected to participate in a simulated game and take live at-bats on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Brusdar Graterol and Michael Grove are “close” to completing their rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City and could return at some point next week. Both were expected to pitch Saturday for OKC.

“Those two guys have checked the boxes they need to check,” Roberts said.

Ryan Brasier’s rehab assignment is expected to last longer.

YAMAMOTO PROGRESS

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a 20-pitch bullpen session on Saturday. It was his first time throwing off a mound since he suffered a strained rotator cuff in early June.

“We were really excited about the command, the velocity,” Roberts said.

“It’s a big step forward. Obviously, we’re all hoping to get him back at some point in time in September. So this was the real first step for him. And then to be able to follow that up with another aggressive bullpen on Tuesday, we’re moving in the right direction.”

Roberts indicated Yamamoto could go on a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment at some point.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (RHP River Ryan, 1-0, 0.82 ERA) at Athletics (RHP Osvaldo Bido, 2-2, 5.00 ERA), Sunday, 1:07 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM