Welcome to the Blue, Edwin Ríos!

The fruits of their labor is coming to fruition.

As you surely know, the Dodgers have been calling up one prospect after another. There was Matt Beaty... Then Kyle Garlick... Followed by Will Smith... Somewhere along the way Josh Sborz joined the club ... And there was Tony Gonsolin on Wednesday. Today, we learn (via a posting by Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA) that high-flying prospect Edwin Ríos is here. Per a Dodger press release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled infielder Edwin Ríos and selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Zac Rosscup. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Dodgers optioned pitchers Tony Gonsolin and Caleb Ferguson, while transferring A.J. Pollock to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. 

Ríos, 25, earns his first assignment with the Dodgers and his next game will be his Major League debut. In 70 games with Oklahoma City, he slashed .249/.308/.475 with 14 homers and 48 RBI. In five minor league seasons, he has hit .293 (452-for-1542) with 78 homers and 283 RBI. The Puerto Rican native was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 First Year Player Draft out of Florida International.

Blog Kiosk: 6/27/2019 - Dodger Links - Some Odds and Ends

Tony Gonsolin debuted yesterday, but things didn't go as planned. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

The 33-pitch first inning was a disaster. It started with Dyson’s bunt single with two strikes to defeat the shift. Speedy Tim Locastro then beat Gonsolin, who hesitated a split second, to first for an infield single, Pederson booted a routine grounder and Escobar slugged a three-run homer before there was an out. 

“I wouldn’t say the game sped up on me. I think I held my composure very well,” said Gonsolin, a former outfielder who laced a single in his first MLB at-bat. “Just comes down to executing pitches. It was a lot of fun on both sides of the ball.”

Gonsolin also recorded his very first Major League hit. Unfortunately, the Dodgers couldn't overcome the early damage. They lost 8-2 to the Diamondbacks (boxscore). Photo above via Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1939 the Dodgers and Boston Braves/Bees play a 23 inning game that ends in a 2-2 tie. In 1980 Jerry Reuss throws a no-hitter against the Giants at Cadelstick Park, 8-0. He faces just 28 batters, and missed a perfect game due to an error by Bill Russell in the first inning. In 2011 the Dodgers file for bankruptcy following the leagues refusal to approve a multibillion-dollar TV deal with FoxSports.
• Happy Birthday, Jackie Hayes, Bull Durham, Hank Behrman, Wayne Terwilliger, Daryl Ward & Jim Johnson!

2019 Topps Now - #434 - 55 Wins!

During that month of June there have been 12 different 2019 Topps Now Dodger cards released. Now, it's up to 13. Featured above is a combo Justin Turner/Kenley Jansen card that celebrates the Dodgers 55th win of the season last night. The victory set a club record.  Go here to check it out and order. Below is what's written on the reverse:

The Los Angeles Dodgers set a franchise record with their 55th win before the MLB All-Star Game break. The Dodgers bested the division-rival Arizona Diamondbacks with hom runs from Justin Turner and Enrique Hernandez, and an RBI double from Chris Taylor. With a 3-2 lead, Kenley Jansen came on to slam the door on the team's record-breaking win.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

2019 Topps Stadium Club - All the Dodgers Base Cards

One of the best sets in the hobby has just arrived on store shelves. It is Topps 2019 Stadium Club brand and I've got pics of all the base cards to share. Go here for a complete checklist. As you know, these cards are famed for the use of unique full-bleed photography -- many of which you're seeing on cardboard for the very first time.

My favorite Dodger base is the above Cody Bellinger card. I don't know exactly what moment the photograph captures, but I like to think it shows us his 13th inning walk-off single against the Milwaukee Brewers during last years Game 4 of the NLCS (boxscore). You can watch a highlight of that here. BTW, seeing Belli celebrate in the photo used above is fun to see, but I think crowd-watching the fans in the background is even better. Check out that guy near Belli's right foot who is in full prayer-mode. I thnk we may have him to thank for the victory.

Below are the Dodger base cards. Which one is your favorite?

Base

#41 A.J. Pollock

#70 Jackie Robinson

Blog Kiosk: 6/26/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

This team is on a roll! They won their 55th game of the season (best in the Majors), and they did with some timely hitting and six scoreless bullpen innings. Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

“Doesn’t matter who’s out there,” said Turner. “We have a lot of good baseball players who play the game the right way. We have a very deep lineup, we’re tough to pitch to and our starters have been off the charts and the bullpen’s been throwing really good lately, we’re leading baseball in defensive runs saved. We’re checking off all the boxes, we’re not just showing up, everybody is working to get better and that’s the recipe for getting good results.”

Photo above via Norm Hall/Stringer at Dodger Insider. Go here to check out more pics from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1944 the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees play an exhibit charity game in front of 50,000 fans for the war bond movement dubbed the Tri-Cornered Baseball Game. The Dodgers won the contest: Dodgers 5, Yankees 1, Giants 0. Check out what I wrote about it here. Nathalie Alonso at MLB.com wrote a story about it that came out today. Check it out here. In 1999 Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley hit a three-run game-winning home run off of Giants closer Robb Nen in the ninth inning to spark a come-from-behind victory at Candelstick Park, 7-6. 
• Happy Birthday, Jean-Pierre Roy, Henry Schmidt, Rodney Myers & Babe Herman!

Welcome to the Blue, Tony Gonsolin!

As I'm sure you've heard by now, the Dodgers are expected to call up pitching prospect Tony Gonsolin and he will be pitching Wednesday's game in Arizona -- replacing Rich Hill in the rotation. BTW, Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA was first with this news yesterday.

Dave Roberts confirms Ross Stripling starts tomorrow. Tony Gonsolin will start Wednesday, callup from OKC.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) June 25, 2019