The Los Angeles Dodgers positioned right-handed pitcher Roki Sasaki on the injured checklist Tuesday with a proper shoulder impingement. Sasaki grew to become the 14th Dodgers pitcher to land on the IL.
Learn extra: Dodgers Place Roki Sasaki on Injured Checklist With Shoulder Harm
Sasaki joins Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Kyle Damage, Michael Grove, and Edgardo Henriquez. With Shohei Ohtani not anticipated to take the mound till after the All-Star break, he’s technically the fifteenth “injured” pitcher.
Kershaw is predicted to return Saturday and make his first begin of the 2025 season towards the Los Angeles Angels. Nonetheless, each different pitcher’s timeline to return stays unsure.
Lately, the Dodgers have handled damage woes to the pitching workers particularly. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman admitted the Dodgers’ damage historical past motivated the group’s aggressive strategy final offseason.
Friedman added the Dodgers wished to be “ready as they may probably be.” Lower than two months into the season, the Dodgers have a complete of 14 pitchers on the IL (15 with Ohtani).
The Dodgers entered the 2024 postseason with three beginning pitchers and an overworked bullpen. Whereas the scenario in L.A. felt like unhealthy luck, it’s evident that there’s an intensive drawback with the well being of the Dodgers pitching workers as a collective.
Pitching coach Mark Prior mentioned the difficulties of navigating the damage woes which have plagued L.A. lately.
“After they get right here to this stage, typically they get utilized in totally different roles, and so they get taxed in numerous ways in which they won’t be accustomed to,” Prior mentioned to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. “In order that’s one factor that we’ve appeared into, is making an attempt to arrange, whether or not they’re fully relievers developing, or they’re starters turned relievers. All these issues matter, sort of such as you’re on-ramping what it’s like.
“As a result of whenever you stand up right here, issues change, and so they change very drastically. A man may be pitching each sixth day down there; unexpectedly, you’re anticipated to pitch a number of innings. … That takes time to acclimate, on your physique to determine, ‘How do I do that each day,’ not simply that one time.”
Learn extra: Dodgers’ Mark Prior Opens Up on Strategy of Attempting to Get Roki Sasaki on Observe
Photograph Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photos
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