Daily Distractions: Red Patterson up, will start second game of doubleheader in MLB debut.

Posted on by

Nick Buss

Outfielder Nick Buss was designated for assignment Thursday. (Associated Press photo)

Red Patterson‘s major-league debut will come in the second game of a doubleheader today against the Minnesota Twins.

The Dodgers selected the contract of Patterson from Triple-A Albuquerque and designated Albuquerque outfielder Nick Buss for assignment. Patterson, who will wear No. 51, was added to the roster as the 26th man for today’s doubleheader. Major-league rules allow teams to dress 26 players in a day-night doubleheader that has been on the schedule for at least 24 hours.

Patterson went 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts this season with the Isotopes, last pitching on April 24 at Fresno and allowing five runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings in a loss. The 26-year-old has gone 33-12 with a 3.40 ERA in 132 games (58 starts) in five minor league seasons after he was selected in the 29th round of the 2010 draft out of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Patterson has 432 strikeouts, while walking only 148, in 440.0 career minor league innings.

The Texas native made his first appearance in Major League camp this year as a non-roster invitee and allowed only one run in 11.2 innings (0.77 ERA), going 0-1 and limiting opponents to a .146 batting average (6-for-41). As for the name, shared by a longtime Dodgers PR director, it comes from his hair color. Patterson’s real first name is John.

Buss, 27, had a .261/.330/.391 slash line in 26 games with Albuquerque. He was buried on an outfield depth chart that includes Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke and Chone Figgins. Mike Baxter was designated for assignment in March. Buss went 2-for-19 after making his major-league debut with the Dodgers last September.

Here are the lineups for both teams in Game 1. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 a.m.

Dodgers:
Gordon 2B
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Kemp DH
Ethier CF
Uribe 3B
Olivo C
Crawford LF
Haren P

Twins:
Dozier 2B
Mauer 1B
Plouffe 3B
Kubel LF
Pinto DH
Suzuki C
Fuld RF
Hicks CF
Escobar SS
Pelfrey P

Some bullet points for a World Book Day:

• Here is the Dodgers’ rotation through Wednesday. Note Monday’s pitcher is on the disabled list and requires a corresponding move:

• Sandy Koufax‘s 1954 college season, remembered.

• A Dodgers prospect leads the Midwest League in batting average.

• Another Dodgers prospect is batting .398 in Triple-A.

• A Giants pitcher sliced his finger making a sandwich (but doesn’t think he’ll miss a start against the Dodgers next week).

• If the Dodgers were playing the Cubs (or Red Sox) this week, a special day-night doubleheader rule would have been in place.

• Julio Urias threw well Wednesday.

• Beyond the Box Score asks: Does the strike zone shrink in the later innings?

• SI.com examines why teams are shifting more.

• Jayson Stark of ESPN has written a book that I want to buy.

• Former Dodgers utilityman Elian Herrera made this throw the other day. Today, he was optioned to Triple-A by the Milwaukee Brewers.

• Happy birthday to Ivan De Jesus (27), Phil Hiatt (45), Ray Searage (59) and Von Joshua (66).

• In honor of a Minnesota road trip, here’s the Dirty Sweet covering Darling Nikki: