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The Los Angeles Dodgers have released right-handed pitcher Matt Sauer, per his transaction tracker on MLB.com.
The back-to-back defending champions are wasting no time getting back to work just a day after such an exciting parade celebrating their ninth title in franchise history.
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Sauer, a 26-year-old right-hander from Santa Maria, CA, made 10 appearances for the World Series champions, totaling a 6.37 ERA through his 29.2 innings of work. He struck out 24 batters and walked eight on the year. During his 18 appearances in Triple-A Oklahoma City, Sauer totaled a 5.86 ERA through 83 innings.
Ahead of what would become a successful title defense season, Sauer pitched his way to the team trip to Japan. After a promising spring training, he gave up four runs in a game before manager Dave Roberts jogged to the mound to get the ball from him.
Luckily for Sauer, Roberts didn’t make his decision to include Sauer on the trip to Japan based on the game alone, and despite his rough outing, this was the moment the skipper told him where he would start his season.
“I’m a little upset. I’m competing. Just had a pretty bad inning. And then Doc walks out there, and he gets to the mound and smiles,” Sauer said. “So I’m a little confused at first.”
“Then [Roberts] grabbed me around the waist and broke the news,” Sauer added. “Then I had a big smile on my face. But I was also trying to be, like, pissed. I just had a terrible inning.”
Sauer’s mother was born in Okinawa on an Air Force base and had never been back to Japan since she was a baby. Sauer didn’t end up pitching in either of the two Japan games, but debuted with the big league team in early April.
Sauer was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2017 and made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2024. He will now look for a new home to spend the next chapter of his professional baseball career.
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Photo Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
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