After two stints and one game with the Dodgers, the right-hander also pitched in the Mariners and Nationals organizations this season.
Eduardo Salazar was active for the Dodgers twice for a total of two days this season, and pitched only once. He ended up pitching for three organizations in 2024.
The 26-year-old right-hander signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on November 16, and was one of six non-roster invitees from spring training to pitch for the team in the majors this season.
Salazar first got the call to Los Angeles on April 16, a busy week for rookie call-ups to the Dodgers. On consecutive days, Ricky Vanasco, Andy Pages, and Landon Knack made their major league debuts in the same series against the Nationals. Salazar was called up on Tuesday before the middle game of the series, the same day as Pages and fellow rookie Kyle Hurt. Vanasco, after pitching two innings in his debut on Monday, was optioned to make roster room for Salazar.
Eight games and 12⅓ innings with the Reds in 2023 was the extent of Salazar’s previous major league experience, so this wouldn’t have been a debut. But he was still a rookie this year. Salazar did not pitch against the Nationals, and was optioned on Wednesday to make room for Knack.
With Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, Salazar had a 5.61 ERA in seven starts, with 21 strikeouts and 12 walks in 33⅔ innings. Sure, that ERA was high, but the Pacific Coast League ERA as a league was 5.27.
He got the call back to the Dodgers on May 15 in San Francisco, which was a particularly taxing time for the pitching staff. Evan Phillips, Joe Kelly, and Ryan Brasier were all on the injured list. This was the sixth day of a stretch of 13 game days in a row, so Elieser Hernández was also called up to make a spot start.
Hernández pitched six innings in his start, and Salazar pitched the final two frames as the Dodgers lost on the road. Those two gave the rest of the pitching staff a full day off, and Salazar was optioned one day later to make room for fresh-arm Nick Ramirez.
On May 20, the Dodgers traded for bullpen workhorse Yohan Ramírez, and to create space on the 40-man roster they designated Salazar for assignment.
Three days later, the Mariners claimed Salazar off waivers from the Dodgers, and the right-hander pitched four games in relief for Triple-A Tacoma before the process repeated itself. Seattle on June 9 designated Salazar for assignment, and four days later the Nationals claimed him off waivers.
Salazar found his way to the majors with Washington in one game before the All-Star break, and by July 26 he was back in the majors for good. With the Nationals, Salazar appeared in 25 games, and posted a 2.96 ERA in 27⅓ innings, with 24 strikeouts and 12 walks.
2024 particulars
Age: 26
Stats: 1 game, 2 IP, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K with Dodgers
Salary: unknown
Game of the year
The Dodgers trailed by three runs when Salazar entered to open the seventh inning on May 15 at Oracle Park in San Francisco. He allowed two singles and a walk in the seventh but also got a double play to help escape without any damage.
In the eighth inning, Salazar allowed a walk and a single, but a passed ball in between allowed for an unearned run to score. Salazar’s Dodgers ERA is 0.00.
Roster status
Salazar is on the Nationals’ 40-man roster.