Los Angeles Dodgers have brought up their 500th starting pitcher

By Amy Kaplan | Jun 3, 2018

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 30: Dennis Santana #77, relief pitcher, of the Los Angeles Dodgers was called up from AA after Kenta Maeda #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain at Dodger Stadium on May 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

The Los Angeles Dodgers have called up their 500th starting pitcher, Dennis Santana.

It hasn’t been an easy 2018 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a lot of that has to do with pitching — Clayton Kershaw has been injured and expected to return this Thursday and now news of Kenta Maeda being placed on the disabled list have Dodgers fans in a bit of a pickle as four of their five opening day rotation members are on the DL.

But help may be on the way in the form of the teams 500th starting pitcher — Dennis Santana.

https://twitter.com/DennisSantanaRD/status/1001838741739200513

Santana took to Twitter to announce that the team was bringing him up from Oklahoman City in what seems like a stroke of good luck as he was scheduled to start for the triple-A team on Tuesday, but the game was rained out.

Santana would be the 500th starting pitcher in the teams 135-year history. Some of the greatest pitchers in MLB history have come through the Dodgers organization — probably the most famous being Sandy Koufax. The team has also been home to Fernando Valenzuela, Don Drysdale, Orel Hershiser and many more.

Welcome to The Show, @DennisSantanaRD! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/4WtP7IeGZL
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 30, 2018

The first ever pitcher for the Dodgers was Sam Kimber who faced the Washington Statesmen in 1884, but the game was a loss. The first Dodgers pitcher to win an opening day was John Harkins the following year when the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Baltimore Orioles.

Kershaw is listed as the 445th starting pitcher, but probably number one in fans hearts.

Santana, who is just 22 was originally signed out of the Dominican Republic as a shortstop but has been pitching in the Dodgers system and is widely considered to be in the top five prospects list. So far he has posted 2.54 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 16 walks in 49.2 innings in ten minor league starts.

Santana made his MLB debut when he faced the Rockies on Saturday. He pitched 32/3 innings, gave up only five runs, drove in two with a double. The Dodgers beat the Rockies 12-4.

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