The Los Angeles Dodgers are awaiting the return of two impact pitchers in the form of Blake Snell and Brock Stewart, while Mookie Betts is closing in on a rehab assignment of his own.
Snell made his first rehab start on Wednesday with the Single-A Tower Buzzers, while Stewart has made four appearances across two levels in the Minors.
Mookie Betts nearing rehab assignment
Betts had already been throwing, running, and taking some ground balls, but he has just recently resumed swinging, which was the last major hurdle to clear before he can start taking live at-bats and then go on a rehab assignment.
He has been able complete all these tasks without experiencing discomfort, but there has still been some residual irritation. Manager Dave Roberts doesn’t know exactly when Betts will be sent out on assignment, but he did acknowledge it will be soon.
“He’s taking BP from a coach in the cage now, so that’s a good thing. He says he doesn’t feel it swinging the bat, throwing,” Roberts said. “There was a little bit of a couple days ago when I talked to him, he was running, he said he felt it a little bit.
“My assumption is he’ll go out on a rehab assignment and take a couple games to get some at-bats, get his legs back. He’s getting closer. Is it next weekend that he goes out? Is it a week from Monday? I don’t know. But I know that each day it’s gotten a lot better. So we’re really encouraged.”
Brock Stewart with Triple-A
The expectation was that Stewart would need about three weeks on his rehab assignment before returning to the Dodgers.
The right-hander is in the midst of his second week and made his fourth appearance on Friday. Roberts has been pleased with how the process has gone.
“Brock’s been really good. So he’s in OKC, and it’s been good,” he said. “So barring anything unforeseen we should be seeing him soon.”
Completing two appearances in a three-day stretch and pitching on back-to-back days are the final two boxes Stewart needs to check before the Dodgers clear him.
“That would probably be in about three, four or five days,” Roberts said. “Because after you do the one, you got to have a couple days and then do the back-to-backs, and then a couple days of recovery to see how he responds.
“I would say that’s kind of our plan, and hopefully we don’t feel the need to have to deviate from that plan, that total progression. Things can change, but that’s sort of the plan.”
Blake Snell’s next rehab start
Snell made his first appearance of the season after missing the entirety of Spring Training. The rust definitely showed, with the veteran allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with one walk in one-plus innings.
The good news is Snell came out of the start with no lingering issues. He is expected to make at least four starts before returning to the Dodgers.
Roberts said the left-hander’s next start will be sometime early next week, and the team is aiming for him to pitch three innings.
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