For much of the season, every single starting pitcher on the Los Angeles Dodgers spent time on the disabled list except for left-hander Alex Wood.
That changed last week though when Wood was placed on the 10-day disabled list with left adductor tendinitis. He left his start against the Houston Astros before the seventh inning began with what was described as hamstring cramps.
The injury was not believed to be a serious one but given the Dodgers excess of starting pitchers, they had the luxury of placing Wood on the disabled list to give him time to get 100 percent healthy for the stretch run of the season.
Just five days after he last took the mound, Wood returned to it on Wednesday as he tossed a three-inning simulated game in Oakland. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he came out of it healthy and is expected to throw a bullpen session later this week, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“With Alex, it was three innings and he feels good. No signs of that adductor leg issue. The next step is a bullpen [session] in a couple of days and at that point we’ll figure out where to plug him in.”
In addition to Wood, Hyun-Jin Ryu is also close to begin able to return from a groin injury that has kept him out since April. Barring any other injuries, that will give the Dodgers seven healthy starters so Roberts will have some decisions to make in regards to his rotation.
He ruled out the team expanding to a six-man starting rotation. Wood has appeared out of the bullpen for the Dodgers in the past, but he has pitched extremely well as of late, going 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA in his last nine starts.
So he has a good chance of remaining in the rotation once he is able to return from the disabled list.
