2024 review: Ricky Vanasco

The young right-handed reliever spent half the year in Triple-A. He got his chance to relieve for the Dodgers twice. Due to a roster crunch, Vanasco is now part of the Detroit Tigers organization.

Ricky Vanasco has been in the Dodgers’ orbit since the 2023 season after being picked up from the Rangers organization. Vanasco started 2024 in Triple-A Oklahoma City, and while there, he put in work appearing in 24 games and finishing 13 of them. He had a 0-2 record with five saves over 23⅓ innings of work with a 3.47 ERA.

The relevant issue that plagued Vanasco is that he walked too many people, giving out 21 free passes and 27 strikeouts, resulting in a WHIP of 1.714. Vanasco generally relied on his four-seam fastball, curveball, and slider. In limited action per Baseball Savant, the pitching metrics look serviceable, if unspectacular.

That red flag aside, the Dodgers called up Ricky Vanasco on April 15, needing bullpen coverage. Vanasco’s first game would be his long-awaited major league debut, as the Rangers drafted him in 2017. While with the Dodgers, Vanasco wore number 61.

On Jackie Robinson night, in a game where the lowly Nationals rocked Tyler Glasnow, Vanasco pitched two innings of shut-out baseball. His lone strikeout is shown below.

Vanasco’s cup of coffee lasted a single day as the Dodgers optioned him and Nick Ramirez back to Oklahoma City for Kyle Hurt and Eduardo Salazar. On May 17, the Dodgers swapped Vanasco for Ramirez for bullpen coverage, but Vanasco did not see any action before returning to Triple-A.

If Vanasco’s story ended here, his tenure as a Dodger would be a fond footnote in 2024. It didn’t. On July 10, after the Phillies handed Bobby Miller his worst loss as a professional, the Dodgers recalled Vanasco for coverage before the All-Star Break.

On July 13, Vanasco was summoned to pitch the bottom of the ninth against the Tigers. The Dodgers were comfortably ahead 9-4 on a balmy, sunny afternoon in the Motor City. I was hanging out by the bullpen in seats that were a tad too narrow, but it was a lovely game up until then as I was posing Adric and taking photos of the bullpen.

Before Vanasco entered the game, some drunken Tigers fans were heckling him. I will give these fans credit on two counts. First, anyone can swear at someone; these fans did not do that. These fans were just really sarcastically complimenting Vanasco, saying things like, “You’re my favorite player. You’re so good,” and so on.

Second, they were loud and boisterous enough that someone called security to remove these fans. I don’t know who snitched, and I would be the first to admit if it was me. In fact, I even pointed out to security that they were just being loud. Anyway, security removed them. I don’t know if the heckling affected Vanasco; I can only point to the result.

Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA

Eight pitches later, Vanasco channeled his inner-Zach Logue, failing to record an out while giving up three hits and two runs without the benefit of a distracting awful snack.

The rest of the story plays out as you remember. Evan Phillips was summoned to put out the fire, and he did so with kerosene. Phillips allowed the Tigers to tie up the game before Yohan Ramirez put the final touches on the disaster. I left with nothing to show for the afternoon but a nasty sunburn.

Unsurprisingly, on July 14, the Dodgers optioned Vanasco back to Triple-A for the final time, starting the age of Brent Honeywell. On July 24, the Dodgers had a roster crunch when the team signed Nick Ahmed when Miguel Rojas went on the injured list. Accordingly, Vanasco was designated for assignment.

In one of life’s little ironies, on July 29, the Dodgers traded Vanasco for cash considerations to the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers optioned Vanasco to Triple-A Toledo, where he stayed until the rosters expanded in September.

Vanasco improved considerably while in Ohio, pitching in middle relief. He appeared in 11 games with a 1.06 ERA and a much improved 1.235 WHIP. He only had nine walks to 21 strikeouts.

Upon being called up to Detroit, he pitched in two games, pitching two innings of shutout work. He earned his first major league victory against the San Diego Padres, mostly due to the heroics of Parker Meadows.

Vanasco did not make the Detroit playoff roster but potentially received shares from the champion Dodgers and the ALDS-bound Tigers. The Tigers designated Vanasco for assignment in mid-November and have already signed Vanasco to a minor league contract and a $925,000 salary if he reaches the major league club.

Vanasco has yet to pitch again in Detroit. I hope his next appearance at Comerica Park is better than his first.

2024 particulars

Age: 26

Stats: 2 G, 2 IP, 1 K, 0 BB, 13.50 ERA, 2.17 FIP with Dodgers

Salary: $33,871 in majors with Dodgers (pro-rated share for his seven days in the majors with LA of his major-league salary of $900,000. His minor league salary was $250,000).

Game of the year

No disrespect to Oklahoma City, Toledo, or Detroit, but I will pick a Dodger appearance. Therefore, given my two options, Vanasco’s two innings of work in his major league debut earned the honors.

Roster status

Vanasco is on the Tigers’ 40-man roster.