Scott Alexander has undergone a lengthy rehab process since the Los Angeles Dodgers placed him on the 10-day injured list on May 3 due to left shoulder inflammation.
The team originally hoped to get Alexander back quickly, with just a few days of rest before he returned. However, the injury took longer to heal than expected and Alexander had to restart his throwing program.
Now, Alexander is getting close to returning but he will stay with Triple-A Oklahoma City for at least one more series as he continues his rehab assignment.
“I think there’s a back-to-back somewhere in there, and hopefully if things go well, a July 2 or 3 activation is in the cards,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Alexander appeared in Monday’s game for Oklahoma City, but didn’t make a back-to-back appearance and the team is off Wednesday. Though, it’s unclear if that will impact when the Dodgers activate the southpaw.
Before the injury, Alexander was pitching well despite his strikeout numbers being at a career-low 3.86 per nine innings. In 11.2 innings, he held a 2.31 ERA, 3.92 FIP and only walked one batter with a ground-ball rate of 63.2% that is nearly 20% higher than the league average.
Alexander previously said his success this season was a result of his improved mechanics that led to better control.
“I think mechanics is such a huge thing with your timing of it and the way you’re using your body. That has so much to do with your ability to throw strikes consistently. I think that’s been a big thing,” Alexander explained.
“That’s something I worked on a lot with coaches and thought about a lot. I felt like if I can improve my command, just be able to get ahead and throw strikes, that my stuff was going to play up and be able to force weak contact.
Dodgers waiting on Seager
Corey Seager was expected to begin a rehab assignment last week but those plans had to be pushed back after he experienced soreness in his hand.
The Dodgers originally hoped Seager would be back in early July as well, but now Roberts said a return after the All-Star break is a possibility. Their first game after the break is July 16 in Colorado.
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