The Los Angeles Dodgers placed David Price on the family medical emergency list and recalled Justin Bruihl from Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to Thursday’s series opener against the San Diego Padres.
“It was a family emergency,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed. “I don’t want to get into details. As we understand it, everyone was OK. It’s just something that he felt that he needed to be with his family.
“Obviously, Major League Baseball granted that. We’re going to certainly miss him for three days. David will be back after three days, so he’ll be back on Sunday.”
Price last pitched in the series finale against the Colorado Rockies, throwing a scoreless inning in the ninth to finish out the Dodgers’ 8-4 win. It marked a sixth consecutive appearance in which the veteran left-hander did not allow a run.
Price has a 3.20 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 19 games this season. He’s exclusively been utilized as a relief pitcher despite the Dodgers incurring injuries to starters Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney.
Dodgers bullpen adds fresh arm
The addition of Bruihl gives Roberts a new option out of a bullpen that’s shouldered a significant workload.
Bruihl is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 17 games for the Dodgers this season. He put together six consecutive scoreless appearances before allowing a run to the New York Mets on June 4.
Bruihl’s last time in a game with the Dodgers came against the San Francisco Giants on June 10, when he allowed three runs in just one inning of work.
Bruihl earned a spot on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster but has twice been optioned to Oklahoma City. The latest instance came earlier this month when Kershaw was activated off the 10-day IL.
Bruihl is 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in seven games for OKC this season.
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