Knack (1-1) picked up the win in Wednesday's 11-2 rout of the Nationals, giving up two runs on three hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out five.
The 26-year-old rookie recorded his first career quality start along with his first MLB win, tossing 59 of 94 pitches for strikes and retiring the last 13 batters he faced after walking in a run in the second inning. Knack is making a case to stick in the Dodgers' rotation even after Walker Buehler (elbow) is declared ready for his 2024 debut, especially with Gavin Stone and James Paxton having issues in the early going.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Getting another start
Rotowire
Knack is slated to start Wednesday's game against Washington at Nationals Park.
The 26-year-old righty will make his second straight turn through the rotation after limiting the Nationals to two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four over five innings in his MLB debut this past Wednesday. Though he'll get a rematch with a weak Washington lineup, Knack's outing will come on the road this time after he had the luxury of debuting at Dodger Stadium. Walker Buehler (elbow) is due to make the fifth start of his rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and if all goes well, he could be activated from the 15-day injured list next week to bump Knack out of the big-league rotation.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Stuck with loss in debut
Rotowire
Knack (0-1) took the loss Wednesday against the Nationals, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings.
Knack got off to a rocky start, allowing hits to the first three Nats he faced, including a leadoff homer to CJ Abrams. However, the 26-year-old right-hander settled in nicely, blanking Washington over his subsequent four frames while allowing just one additional hit. While the Dodgers failed to provide enough support to get Knack off the hook in his big-league debut, it was an encouraging outing overall. Knack was solid last year in 22 starts between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, pitching to a 2.51 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 100.1 innings. If the Dodgers stick with a six-man rotation and keep Knack in the majors, he'd line up for a road matchup with the Blue Jays in his next start.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Called up for Wednesday's start
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The Dodgers recalled Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday versus the Nationals.
Knack made the Dodgers' Opening Day roster for the club's two-game series in South Korea with the Padres back in March, but he wasn't needed in relief in either contest before being optioned to Triple-A ahead of the team's domestic opener. Since the demotion, Knack has worked at least five innings in each of his three starts for Oklahoma City, logging a 4.02 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 16:4 K:BB across 15.2 frames. He'll get the chance to make his big-league debut Wednesday, and if he fares well, Knack could be in position to stick around with the Dodgers as part of a six-man rotation.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Primed for big-league debut
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Knack will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Wednesday against the Nationals, Kirsten Watson of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed after Tuesday's win that Knack will make his major-league debut Wednesday in the series finale against Washington. A second-round pick out of East Tennessee State in 2020, Knack advanced to Triple-A last season and has posted a 3.22 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 54:22 K:BB in 13 total starts for Oklahoma City (58.2 innings). Knack has joined the team in Los Angeles but will need to be officially added to the 26-man roster ahead of Wednesday's game.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Promotion on tap this week
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The Dodgers plan to call up Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City this week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
It's unclear whether Knack will be making a start, but the Dodgers haven't named a starter for games Tuesday and Wednesday versus Washington and have an opening in the rotation with Bobby Miller (shoulder) recently moving to the injured list and Walker Buehler (elbow) in line for one more rehab start before being activated from the IL. Whenever Knack does pitch, he will be making his major-league debut. The 26-year-old holds a 4.02 ERA and 16:4 K:BB over 15.2 innings covering his first three starts of the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers optioned Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City on March 22.
Knack was included on the Dodgers' 31-player travel squad for the two-game Seoul Series in South Korea with the Padres, but he went unused out of the bullpen in both of the contests and was sent to minor-league camp once the team returned to the United States. The 26-year-old righty will be a mainstay in the Oklahoma City rotation this season and could make his big-league debut if the Dodgers require a spot starter or long man out of the bullpen at any point.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Recalled to majors
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The Dodgers recalled Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
The Dodgers optioned Knack to minor-league camp toward the beginning of March, but he will rejoin the big-league club for their opening series in South Korea as Blake Treinen (chest) begins the year on the injured list. Knack has yet to pitch in the majors, but he turned in a 2.93 ERA and 1.44 WHIP across 43 innings at Oklahoma City last season. Knack has been used almost exclusively as a starter in his minor-league career, but he will likely come out of the bullpen for the Dodgers as a multi-inning option.
Knack was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Knack made two appearances, including one start, this spring, allowing two earned runs on one hit and a walk while striking out seven batters over four innings. The right-hander produced a 2.93 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 43 frames in 10 starts with Oklahoma City last year, and if he repeats that production, he'll likely earn a shot in the majors sooner rather than later.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Added to 40-man roster
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The Dodgers selected Knack (undisclosed) to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Knack missed the final month of the Triple-A season because of an undisclosed injury, but he worked to a 2.51 ERA with 99 strikeouts across 100.1 minor-league innings (22 starts) when healthy. The 26-year-old right-hander is now protected from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Knack joined the Dodgers' taxi squad Thursday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
The 25-year-old right-hander could get his first major-league opportunity if Brusdar Graterol (arm) requires a trip to the injured list. Knack, a second-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, has registered a sharp 2.41 ERA and 77:18 K:BB in 71 innings (15 starts) this season between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Climbs to Triple-A
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The Dodgers promoted Knack from Double-A Tulsa to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, Josh Thomas of DodgersDigest.com reports.
After laboring in the Texas League a season ago, Knack has fared dramatically better at the Double-A level thus far in 2023, pitching to a 2.20 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 20.8 K-BB% across 57.1 innings. The 25-year-old ended his time at Tulsa in style, tossing a season-high 7.2 innings Saturday while allowing just four baserunners and striking out eight en route to earning the promotion to Triple-A. He'll be joined in the Oklahoma City rotation by top pitching prospect Emmet Sheehan, who will also be bumped up from Double-A during the upcoming week.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Having tough time in Double-A
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Knack has a 5.44 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 63:20 K:BB through 12 starts (44.2 innings) for Double-A Tulsa this season.
Knack got a late start to the 2022 season, and while he's flashed impressive strikeout ability at times, he's walked too many hitters and had a tremendous amount of trouble pitching deep into games. Over his last three outings, he's managed to pitch all of six innings, giving up 10 runs on 11 hits and five walks in the process.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Makes season debut
Rotowire
Knack made his season debut over the weekend for Double-A Tulsa, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out four over two innings.
He missed the first month of the minor-league season while he was building up in extended spring training after suffering a soft-tissue injury earlier in camp. Knack is one of the Dodgers' best pitching prospects and could split the year between Double-A and Triple-A.
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Dodgers' Landon Knack: Building up at camp
Rotowire
Knack won't be part of the season-opening roster at Double-A Tulsa while he continues to build up his pitch count at the Dodgers' spring training facility in Arizona after he was delayed by a soft-tissue injury earlier in camp, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Knack has resumed facing hitters and appears to be fully healthy at the moment, but the workouts he missed earlier in the spring were enough to prevent him from making Tulsa's Opening Day rotation. Assuming he endures no setbacks in the buildup process, he should be ready to join Tulsa for his season debut before the end of April.
