The Dodgers may be comfortably in 1st place in the NL West, but their recent run of injuries will certainly test their mettle over the coming weeks.
After it was announced that Mookie Betts would miss significant time with a broken bone in his left hand, Los Angeles was also forced to place star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the 15-day IL with a strained rotator cuff.
Originally described as triceps tightness, some within the Dodgers organization feared that the RHP could be facing a season ending injury. While it appears as though the club has dodged that bullet for now, Yamamoto will be shut down for a few weeks in an attempt to avoid surgery.
“It’s just going to take time and rest. It’s not season-ending,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s a guy that we’re still trying to learn a lot about, and appreciate the fact that the most important time of the season is yet to come…His health is paramount. So for us to be proactive and put him on the IL seems like the smartest thing.”
Currently 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 84 K’s across 74IP, the 25 year old was forced out of his start on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals after throwing only 2 innings. Yamamoto is in the first season of a record setting 12 year, $325M contract signed in the offseason.
In corresponding moves, the Dodgers also placed right-hander Michael Grove on the IL with a right intercostal strain. RHP J.P. Feyereisen and Michael Petersen were then called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City. To make room for Petersen on the 40-man roster, RHPJoe Kelly was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Fellow starter Bobby Miller is expected to rejoin the rotation on Wednesday vs. the Rockies. In other good news, veteran Clayton Kershaw is also slated to make his first rehab start later this week as well.
Los Angeles currently own the 2nd best record in the National League at 44-29 (trailing only the Phillies) and sit 8 games up on the Padres in the NL West.
Photo: Junkyardsparkle. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.