The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Joe Kelly and placed Walker Buehler on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday.
Although Kelly is back on the active roster after being sidelined by shoulder inflammation, he is beginning to serve a five-game suspension. It originally was eight games after MLB decided Kelly intentionally threw at Houston Astros teammates Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa.
Kelly appealed the suspension, which reduced it to five games. He’s not eligible to appear in a game for the Dodgers until Wednesday. Although Kelly’s ban was reduced, he has remained critical of the league and their findings, particularly in the wake of other suspensions.
“It definitely looks kind of fishy for myself. I originally had thoughts on when I saw the whole Chapman thing and I obviously knew that he was a person, and with the language they used against me was I was the ‘repeat offender,'” Kelly said this week.
“I already had one strike on my record and Chapman had the same exact thing. But obviously I probably said a little bit more words than Chapman has said. I don’t think the words that I used to the people who make these decisions were very nice when the appeal process went down behind closed doors. I ruffled some feathers, so it just shows that their feelings get hurt just like everyone else’s feelings get hurt. So it is what it is.
“Like I said, I would still like to know what they think, what the difference is, and if it’s not the same, what’s the standard for it because obviously if it was eight, three games for the suspension and five for the face, or supposedly making the other team leave benches. That’s a lot of games for that but I don’t really have any more thoughts other than that.”
As for health, Kelly has faced batters on multiple occasions over the past week-plus and is confident shoulder trouble is no longer an issue.
Buehler troubled by blister
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was confident Buehler’s blister on the index finger of his right hand wasn’t an issue heading into the series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Buehler also echoed that sentiment, despite failing to make it out of the third inning.
Prior to the IL stint, Roberts indicated the club was considering their options with Buehler. His turn in the rotation was coming up again Sunday, which presumably may be filled by Tony Gonsolin.
This is a second time the Dodgers put Buehler on the IL because of the blister.
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