With the Los Angeles Dodgers now on a 10-game road trip, Cody Bellinger and Zach McKinstry reported to the club’s alternate training site at Camelback Ranch, where Joe Kelly has been since the season began.
Bellinger has been eligible to come off the 10-day injured list for three weeks, but the wait for a hairline fracture in his fibula to completely heal remains a slow-moving process. Bellinger has kept active and the pain was recently said to have decreased some.
“Kind of doing his progression and at some point we’re going to get him into some alt. site games. There might be a little respite there, so I’m not sure what the schedule is. We’re trying to get him some live at-bats,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
With Triple-A Oklahoma City beginning their season next week, there is the possibility Bellinger will move his rehab to the Dodgers’ top affiliate.
“I don’t know enough as far as right now, up to the minute of where he’s at, but probably thinking out loud, I would say he’ll go to OKC or wherever we can get him live at-bats,” Roberts said. “Whatever is best for Cody and gets him ready for us, that’s what we’ll end up doing.”
Kelly nearing return
After a slow ramp-up during Spring Training, Kelly was put on the 10-day IL because of right shoulder inflammation. Roberts has largely been vague when discussing a timetable for Kelly’s activation but recently said early- or mid-May was likely.
Kelly has been facing batters at Camelback Ranch and most recently did so again on Wednesday. “If it went well, is on track to join us at some point in time soon,” Roberts said. “On this road trip, unlikely. I’d say probably the earliest is when we get to Anaheim or on the homestand.”
Graterol’s surprise injury
Minutes before the Dodgers took the field to face the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, the club placed Brusdar Graterol on the IL due to right forearm tightness.
“I don’t know a whole lot. I got news probably when you guys got word. I know [Wednesday] he felt like he could pitch in a game. [Thursday] he felt that he couldn’t,” Roberts said after the 2-1 loss to the Brewers.
“I’m going to learn more in a little bit. … Obviously we’re looking at 10 days minimum, and I’m sure we’ll do all the testing that’s necessary.”
Lux ready for homecoming
Having recently returned from a stint on the IL, Gavin Lux is encouraged the right wrist sprain is now behind him. “It feels good. It’s in a good spot, for sure. It was definitely bugging me for a couple days there early on when I got put on the IL, but now it’s all good,” Lux said.
“Good to go and there’s not any issues. Getting some at-bats these last few games and making sure there’s no lingering effects is great. … It was best-case scenario. Originally, we thought maybe it was a hamate bone injury, but after the MRI and all that, it showed it was a rest injury. All in all, it was a best-case scenario for that.”
Lux was not in the lineup Thursday, but is expected to start in each of the next three games against the Brewers. It marks a homecoming for the Kenosha, Wisconsin native.
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