Dodgers Lose Pitcher to NL Central Squad

Jun 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Jack Little (81) makes his major league debut in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers designated right-handed pitcher Jack Little for assignment earlier this week, and it didn't take long for another team to pick him up.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Little off waivers from the Dodgers and assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

We have claimed RHP Jack Little off waivers from the Dodgers and assigned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

There are now 39 players on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster.

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 6, 2025

Little made two appearances for the Dodgers at the big league level this season, allowing two earned runs across three innings of work for a 6.00 ERA. He was involved in the Dodgers and San Diego Padres' scuffle earlier this year, as he hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch in his MLB debut, causing the benches to clear.

Fernando Tatis was hit by a 93 mph fastball and the benches cleared with Mike Shildt and Dave Roberts jawing at each other.

The Padres retaliated with a 100 mph fastball at Shohei Ohtani but he made sure the situation didn't escalate.

The Dodgers and Padres meet again in August pic.twitter.com/CE69jiuQwo

— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 20, 2025

“I think anyone knows there was no intent there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game of the pitch from Little. “I didn’t feel good about Tatis — great player, good guy — getting hit."

Padres manager Mike Shildt took exception to it, though.

“Enough is enough,” Shildt said after the game. “Intentional, unintentional, the fact of the matter is, I took exception with it.”

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Little ended up making one more appearance with the Dodgers big league club this season before being DFA'd and joining Pittsburgh.

Little had spent his entire professional career with the Dodgers organization, being drafted by them in the fifth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. He has a career 4.89 ERA in the minor leagues, accruing a 4.64 ERA across 24.2 innings of relief in Triple-A this season.

The Dodgers DFA'd Little to add first baseman Luken Baker off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. Little will now look to work his way toward an MLB call up with Pittsburgh, while the Dodgers give Baker an opportunity at Triple-A.

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Baker, 27, was selected in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Cardinals. He had spent his entire professional career with St. Louis, appearing in 639 minor leagues games with them.

This year, at Triple-A with the Cadinals, Baker slashed .196/.309/.397 with 10 home runs and 34 runs batted in. In his first game with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he went 1-for-4 with a double and a walk.

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