The Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation has been significantly impacted by injuries this season, but reinforcements are in the way in the form of Michael Grove and Julio Urías.
Grove is expected to be activated off the 15-day injured list Saturday for a start against the New York Yankees. Grove has been on the IL since April 21 because of a right groin strain.
Saturday is also going to be key for Urías as he throws his first true bullpen session since suffering a left hamstring strain. Urías initially was expected to do so last weekend at Tropicana Field but was still experiencing lingering soreness.
He threw 15 pitches earlier this week in what Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described as “touch and feel” work off the. mound. Now the left-hander is poised to potentially clear a more prominent hurdle.
“Julio is going to throw off the main mound (at Dodger Stadium). It’ll be a more normal bullpen, it’ll be 30-something pitches,” Roberts said. “With the main mound, we can capture a lot of information that you can’t do in the bullpen.”
With Noah Syndergaard remaining in the Dodgers starting rotation for at least one more turn, the earliest Urías figures to be activated is during next week’s road series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Saturday he’ll throw a ‘pen, to then probably Tuesday or Wednesday, throw to some hitters. Probably Tuesday. And then we’ll see where we go from there,” Roberts said.
When Urías was first put on the IL on May 20, it was retroactive to the day prior. That left Urías eligible to be reinstated Saturday, which the Dodgers initially expected.
Because he was delayed in recovering from the hamstring injury and due to Gavin Stone’s struggles, the Dodgers are turning to Grove and Bobby Miller to start in the Yankees series.
Dodgers taxi squad
Tayler Scott is on the Dodgers’ taxi squad this weekend and with it being less than the required 15 days to wait in order to return after being optioned to the Minor Leagues, his presence suggested a possible injury within the pitching staff.
“We were kind of looking at some guys that we’ve used, and there’s a little smoke with a couple guys,” Roberts explained. “But I think as of now, it’s all kind of subsided and we’re going to stay status quo.”
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