For as dominant as the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen has been this season, the group has hit a rough patch of late and figures to improve with the imminent returns of Pedro Baez and Joe Kelly.
Baez has been sidelined for the past three weeks with a right groin strain, while Kelly remains on the mend from right shoulder inflammation. However, both right-handers recently advanced to facing hitters for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted Kelly didn’t have his best command in a simulated game last week, but he was more concerned about his next time out. “Right now it (command) doesn’t have to be there, but Monday, for me, is going to be a big test,” Roberts said.
“I expect the command to be more tightened up and the intensity to be ramped up.”
Kelly agreed with Roberts’ assessment and acknowledged he will turn it up a notch when facing hitters for a second time. “I’m doing good,” Kelly began.
“Finally starting to feel definitely a lot stronger. I faced live hitters a couple days ago, it was one of those things that I felt the ball was coming out good, I think I hit 97 (mph).
“With coming back and not throwing as much as I could’ve, timing is a little bit off, mechanics are a little bit off, definitely wild. But it’s one of those things where I want to face hitters more. Two more times max, just to try and get a feel for a little bit more intensity, a little bit more game experience.
“I was throwing the ball hard but I wasn’t giving it my all, obviously not going up there the first time throwing 110%, trying to take a step back. So it was good getting off the mound for the first time facing hitters and coming out of it healthy was huge.
“But going here Monday, I’m going to pick it up a little bit, try to throw all my pitches, kind of pitch similarly to how I will coming down the stretch this year. So like I said, just pick up the intensity, try to get after it a little bit more and see where I’m at.”
Roberts previously stated that if all goes well for both Baez and Kelly, they could potentially be activated off the IL at the end of the week.
Though, before he gets back into a Major League game, Kelly will have to serve a five-game suspension.
Kelly not comparing shoulder issue to last season’s injury
Similar to this season, Kelly missed a chunk of games last September while dealing with an undisclosed injury. He wound up returning in time for the postseason, but was hampered by knee, quad and arm trouble.
Kelly stopped short of comparing his current shoulder injury to his ailments from a year ago. “There has been no thought on that for me. I think that it could be similar, it could be something has been a residual, it could be ramping up and getting ready for a season as quick as you can in a crazy time,” he said.
“There could be a lot of factors to it. Without going to pinpoint one thing, I couldn’t just tell you exactly what it is by trying to see the factors that were all involved. It’s hard to say, like I said, but I wouldn’t say it’s exactly the same thing, no.”
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