Robinson Ortiz, the left-handed pitcher who was just added to the 40-man roster on November 6, just ten days later was traded by the Dodgers to the Mariners for minor league pitcher Tyler Gough.
Gough had
a 4.66 ERA over two years with Class-A Modesto, a team that no longer exists, with 123 strikeouts and 62 walks in 125 2/3 innings over 33 games, including 32 starts. The 6’2 right-hander did not pitch in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery after the 2024 season.
Seattle drafted Gough in the ninth round in 2022 out of JSerra Catholic High School in nearby San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. He turned 22 years old in August.
You might wonder why the Dodgers would trade Ortiz, who turns 26 in January and was just added to the 40-man roster after an impressive 2025 season across three minor league levels, including Triple-A Oklahoma City. But space on the 40-man roster can be fleeting, as you might notice among some of the 2025 season reviews we are running daily through the end of the year.
Ortiz and slugger Ryan Ward were set to be minor league free agents had they not been added to the 40-man roster on November 6, so instead of Ortiz leaving for nothing, the Dodgers got another minor league pitcher out of the move, eventually.
After Ortiz getting dealt, plus last week’s waiver claim of Ben Rortvedt by the Reds, the Dodgers have 38 players on the 40-man roster. Those two vacant spots might only be temporary, as Tuesday at 1 p.m. PT is the deadline for teams to set reserve lists in preparation for the Rule 5 Draft in December.
