2017 Dodgers In Review: RP Josh Ravin

Josh Ravin (Photo: Dustin Nosler)

IP K% BB% HR/9 ERA FIP xFIP WAR
MLB  16.2 26.8 12.7 2.16 6.48 5.80 4.71 -0.2
MiLB (OKC) 35.1 35.3 12.2 0.51 4.33 3.04 3.62 N/A

What Happened In 2017: Spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City and couldn’t stick at the major-league level despite having good stuff. Dealt with groin and hip issues that eventually led to him being shut down in late September and later traded to the Atlanta Braves this offseason.

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Josh Ravin ended up on the 10-day disabled list with a right-groin strain out of Spring Training. He missed all of April and began rehab with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on May 1. He then joined the OKC Dodgers five days later, and pitched in 30 games for them, going 4-0 and striking out 14 batters per nine innings (35.3 strikeout percentage) with a 12.2 walk percentage in 35.1 innings.

The Dodgers called up Ravin on May 21, but he didn’t pitch and was subsequently optioned back to Triple-A two days later. His second call-up to the big club came on June 16, and he made his 2017 major league debut on June 17 vs. Cincinnati. Ravin made 30 pitches over two scoreless frames against the Reds to close out the game in the 10-2 win.

Ravin made two more appearances in July, six outings in August and five more in September before he was shut down for the season and placed on the 60-day disabled list in late September with groin and hip issues, opening up a spot for Brandon McCarthy on the 40-man roster.

In late November, the Dodgers had to create two spots on the 40-man roster for Trevor Oaks and Dennis Santana in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft in December. Unfortunately, Ravin was designated for assignment and was then traded to the Braves for cash considerations thus ending his stint with the Dodgers.

Dustin explained why Ravin was one of the guys cut ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.

Josh Ravin was one of those guys. He was designated for assignment before being traded to the Braves for cash considerations. While he has good stuff, he hasn’t been able to put it together in his time at the Major League level. In 35 2/3 innings with the Dodgers, Ravin had a strong 28.8 strikeout percentage, but that came with a high walk percentage (11.1) and some hard contact allowed (42.9 percent). That all led to a 5.05 ERA and 5.20 FIP. He also had the 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension in Spring Training 2016 that didn’t do him any favors. Ravin was expendable and one of the most likely players who wouldn’t make it through the winter on the roster. This was no big loss.”

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2018 Status: After the Dodgers moved on from Ravin and traded him to Atlanta in November, the hard-throwing 29-year-old right-hander will look to make a spot on Atlanta’s 25-man Opening Day roster this spring.

About Stacie Wheeler

Stacie Wheeler, born and raised in So Cal, has been writing about the Dodgers since 2010. She wrote daily as the co-editor of Lasorda's Lair for five long years, and she has also written for Dodgers Nation, Dodger Blue 1958 and The Hardball Times. She currently contributes to True Blue LA. Stacie graduated from the University Of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Cinema-Television. You can also watch her videos on her YouTube channel, DishingUpTheDodgers.