On August 19, the Dodgers placed catcher Austin Barnes on the 15-day injured list due to a fractured big toe on his left foot. On Tuesday, Barnes participated in simulated at-bats against minor-league pitchers. Eric Stephen of TrueBlue LA shared video of Barnes’ progress on Twitter/X.
Barnes managed to catch all nine innings of the Dodgers’ game on August 18, a win over the St. Louis Cardinals, despite sustaining a fractured toe during the game. Given that he was able to continue playing, it is unlikely that the injury is severe.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts informed reporters on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium that Barnes is expected to be activated from the injured list on Thursday, which coincides with the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. This will be the first day Barnes is eligible to return.
Barnes serves as the primary backup catcher to two-time National League All-Star Will Smith, having made 34 starts at the position compared to Smith’s 96. Following Barnes’ injury, the Dodgers have been using catcher Hunter Feduccia as his replacement.
Feduccia, 27, made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on July 31. He was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City after one appearance to accommodate trade deadline acquisition Kevin Kiermaier. Feduccia was recalled to the major league roster again as a corresponding move to Barnes’ placement on the injured list.
During his second stint with the Dodgers, Feduccia played in one game on Sunday, where he recorded his first MLB hit and a walk in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
With Barnes expected to return on Thursday, Feduccia’s future with the Dodgers is uncertain. It is likely that Feduccia will be optioned back to Oklahoma City. However, with rosters expanding from 26 to 28 next Monday, there is a chance he could be recalled soon after.
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