The Dodgers announced Sunday they are keeping Rule 5 draft pick Carlos Monasterios as a member of the Opening Day roster.

Monasterios was an unlikely candidate to stick, considering his 4.49 career ERA and 290 strikeouts in 385 minor league innings—just seven of them above Class A. However, the 24-year-old Venezuelan found the right situation, a Dodgers team lacking pitching depth and needing to hold the line on salaries. It doesn't get any cheaper than a $50,000 Rule 5 pickup.

Monasterios' best pitch is an upper-80s sinking fastball, and his easy delivery helps him repeat his release point, giving him solid command. He lacks a strikeout pitch but has a decent mid-70s downer curveball to go with a changeup.

In other Rule 5 updates:

• The Pirates kept outfielder John Raynor, despite his 1-for-20 spring training finish.

• The Diamondbacks optioned lefty Zack Kroenke to the minors; he didn't have to pass through waivers since he had once been released. (We'll let Matt Eddy elaborate if you want over in the Rules & Procedures section of the blog.)

• The Mariners kept Kanekoa Texeira after the righty delivered a solid spring, with average fastball velocity and command of his breaking stuff. He was 1-0, 0.64 in 14 spring innings.

• The Phillies appear certain to keep righty David Herndon, who went 0-0, 0.77 this spring, striking out seven and walking four over 11 2/3 innings.