Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill is dealing with blisters for the third straight season. The issue forced him to leave his last start against the Washington Nationals on May 19 after just two pitches. He then was placed on the 10-day disabled list.
Hill has been able to keep his arm in shape while he has been out since he can pitch and throw with protective tape on his finger. He petitioned to be able to do that in a game, although his request wound up being denied.
Hill’s rehab has progressed in recent weeks though as he threw a simulated game without tape on his finger while the team was in Pittsburgh this past week.
Hill is scheduled to throw another simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, and barring any setbacks could then be activated, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Rich Hill will throw a four-inning simulated game on Saturday to further test his healing left middle finger, which he said has responded dramatically to frequent laser treatments, up to nine per day. Hill will throw with the finger uncovered.
With the Dodgers starting rotation currently only having two healthy bodies, getting Hill back would be a huge boost. Because of all the injuries in the rotation, the Dodgers bullpen has also been depleted over the last week, so even if Hill is able to return in a bullpen role, which he said he would be willing to do, that would be a boon.
It was previously believed that Hill would need some sort of Minor League rehab assignment before being activated from the disabled list. But with all the other injuries that have come up, the Dodgers may just opt to throw him back into the fire at the Major League level if he says he is 100 percent healthy.
Walker Buehler, who had been one of the team’s better starters, was removed from his outing on Friday night because of rib soreness.
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