The Los Angeles Dodgers came into the 2024 season with some preexisting injuries to a handful of their 2023 starters, and their injury luck has not improved a month and change into the season.
The position players for the Dodgers have stayed healthy so far, with only Jason Heyward being on the injured list. But injuries have steadily increased in the rotation and in the bullpen over the course of the season.
Walker Buehler, who is projected to make his return Monday against the Miami Marlins, has been the first of many reinforcements that the Dodgers hope could be on the way to help this team down the stretch.
The Dodgers had big hopes for Bobby Miller as a contributor to the rotation in his sophomore campaign, but he was placed on the 15-day IL back in April with right shoulder inflammation. Heyward’s injury, which was initially believed to be minor, has lasted way beyond what the Dodgers had expected, with a couple of bumps in the road to recovery.
Dodgers Injuries
Clayton Kershaw
The Dodgers knew that Kershaw’s recovery from offseason surgery was going to take time back when they re-signed him to a two-year, $10,000,000 with a player option for the second year. The target date has been sometime in the back half of the season and all signs have been pointing to that plan staying on track.
Kerhsaw and Buehler were on the field throwing prior their series-opener against the Braves, and Kershaw threw a short bullpen session.
“It was great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was good seeing Clayton and Walker play catch, old catch-play partners. Walker threw a ‘pen today, I thought it was really good, gearing up for Monday. That’s exciting for all of us.
“Clayton threw his first bullpen. Today, I think, was his sixth-month mark from surgery. So very good, I think it was 15 throws. He came out of that one well.”
Bobby Miller
Miller made three starts in 2024 before going on the IL. He looked stellar coming out of the gates, throwing six shutout innings with a career high 11 strikeouts against the St. Louis Cardinals, but struggled in his next two outings. He has been progressing well and should not need much time to build up to where he needs to be.
“I’m not sure when his next ‘pen is, but he’s going to continue his progression,” Roberts said. “Once he starts facing hitters, I think it’ll ramp up quicker. I don’t think it’s been that long that he’s shut down the throwing, so I don’t think the build-up will take really long.”
Jason Heyward
Heyward’s rehab process has been filled with many twists and turns as lingering pain has caused him to miss a lot more time than initially expected, but the emergence of Andy Pages has lessened the blow.
The good news for Heyward is that the soreness in his back that has persisted is hopefully in the rearview.
“Jason hit today, I saw him running earlier full speed, pain-free,” Roberts said. “He’ll be taking batting practice soon on the field, I would assume this week for sure. Then there will be a simulated game at some point in time, I would assume next week.
“And then from there, if all goes well, we’ll continue to ramp him up. He’s taking a couple of big steps as far as the pain-free and how his body is moving, he’s in a good spot.”
The current plan for Heyward is to complete a simulated game and a three or four game long rehab assignment, but it all depends on how his body responds, Roberts said. Initially there was debate on whether Heyward needed to go out on an assignment, but now with all the time he has missed it seems pretty certain.
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