The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of Tony Wolters and placed Austin Barnes on the family emergency list prior to their series opener against the Kansas City Royals.
Details for Barnes’ absence were not provided. A player put on emergency leave must be inactive for least three days, but cannot miss more than seven days. The Dodgers went through a similar situation at the end of June with David Price, who returned after being away from the team for three days.
Barnes has appeared in 42 games so far this season, batting .171/.295/.308 with four doubles, four home runs and 15 RBI. Last month, Barnes signed a two-year, $7 million contract extension that runs through the 2024 season.
Barnes’ deal includes a $3.5 million team option for 2025, and performance bonuses in the form of an additional $50,000 each for 65 and 70 games played every year; $75,000 for 75; $150,000 for 80; and $175,000 for 85.
Wolters is back at the Major League level for the first time since playing with the Chicago Cubs last season. He signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers last August after getting released from the Cubs organization.
He appeared in just 14 games for Chicago and twice was removed from their 40-man roster prior to signing with the Dodgers. Wolters made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies and appeared in 391 games with the team from 2016-2020.
The Rockies non-tendered Wolters after the 2020 season and he became a free agent.
Rylan Bannon removed from Dodgers’ 40-man roster
Rylan Bannon was designated for assignment in order to make room for Wolters on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.
Bannon had just been added to the organization via a waiver claim from the Baltimore Orioles. It marked a return for the infielder, as he was selected by the Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
One year later he was included with Yusniel Díaz, Dean Kremer, Breyvic Valera and Zach Pop in a trade to acquire Manny Machado from the Baltimore Orioles.
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