Dodgers agree to terms with Chris Hatcher and Scott Van Slyke.

The Dodgers agreed to terms on one-year contracts with two players Thursday: pitcher Chris Hatcher and first baseman/outfielder Scott Van Slyke.

According to the Associated Press, Van Slyke’s deal is worth $1,325,000 and Hatcher’s contract is worth $1.25 million.
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Kiké Hernández, Alex Wood added to Dodgers’ roster for NLCS.

Kiké Hernandez

Kiké Hernandez had been working out in Arizona before joining the Dodgers for the National League Championship Series. (Getty Images)

CHICAGO — Utility player Kiké Hernández and pitcher Alex Wood were added to the Dodgers’ roster for the National League Championship Series on Saturday. They replace infielder Charlie Culberson and utility player Austin Barnes, and give the Dodgers 12 pitchers and 13 position players for the best-of-seven series.
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Dodgers designate Bud Norris for assignment, activate Alex Wood from 60-day DL. Update.

Bud Norris

Bud Norris bides his time during batting practice in front of a Budweiser ad in the Dodger Stadium outfield. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff photographer)

The Dodgers activated pitcher Alex Wood from the 60-day disabled list today, as expected. Pitcher Bud Norris was designated for assignment to make room for Wood on the 40-man roster.

“For our roster right now it just made sense to get Alex (Wood) going,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. (Video link.)

Wood will join the Dodgers bullpen. He’ll work as a situational lefty, and Roberts said Tuesday that he’d prefer to bring Wood in at the beginning of innings at the outset. He’s 1-4 with a 3.99 earned-run average in 10 starts this season, with 62 strikeouts in 56 ⅓ innings.

Norris had a 6.54 earned-run average in 13 games (nine starts) for the Dodgers this season. He took Clayton Kershaw‘s place in the rotation when Kershaw went down with a back injury in June. But he never had a regular role after being felled by a back injury in his final start of July. By September, he’d been relegated to the bullpen.

Norris recently told me that he chose entrance music that was both good and underappreciated. He chose this for his last home start on Aug. 26 against the Chicago Cubs:

Game 150: Dodgers’ bench clears twice in comeback victory over San Francisco Giants.


The Dodgers’ bench emptied hurriedly twice on Monday: once to confront Madison Bumgarner after he yelled at Yasiel Puig, and again to celebrate Adrian Gonzalez‘s walk-off double in a 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants. The box score is here. The photo gallery is here.

Alex Wood‘s return to the Dodgers is on hold.

Read up on how to watch and listen to Vin Scully during his final week on the job at Dodger Stadium.

Here’s what they were saying after the game:

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Alex Wood won’t be activated tonight after all.

Alex Wood

Alex Wood posted a 3.99 ERA in 10 starts for the Dodgers this season. He hasn’t pitched since May because of an elbow injury. (Associated Press photo)

In recent days, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said pitcher Alex Wood was on track to be activated from the disabled list today. Wood said himself that would be the case just this afternoon.

Then, a few minutes later, when Roberts addressed reporters in the third-base dugout, he dropped a surprise by saying Wood will be activated tomorrow instead.

“We decided to wait another day,” Roberts said. “He’ll be activated tomorrow. We have to make, obviously, a roster move, and we haven’t decided which direction we’re going to go.”

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