The Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but none have threatened to prematurely end a player’s season.
Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani are dealing with typical wear and tear matters that should not affect their long-term availability, and the likes of Edwin Díaz and Blake Snell continue to make progress toward returning.
But there’s not yet much news on Blake Treinen since he was put on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation.
Dodgers updates
Mookie Betts returns
The Dodgers made a late change to scratch Mookie Betts from the lineup prior to Wednesday’s game as a precautionary measure. Miguel Rojas started at shortstop in Betts’ place but there isn’t expected to be an issue moving forward.
As expected, Betts was back in the lineup Thursday for the series opener against the San Diego Padres. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the right wrist soreness is behind the 33-year-old.
“He got some treatment on it yesterday, and even after that, he felt good, but I just wanted to stay away from him regardless. And today he feels back to normal,” Roberts said.
Edwin Díaz and Blake Snell throw bullpens
Díaz is the key to unlocking the full potential of the Dodgers bullpen this season. The right-hander has made good progress in his recovery from a procedure to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
Díaz completed another bullpen on Thursday and will move on to the next step in his recovery by facing batters this weekend.
“He is going to be facing hitters, I think, on Sunday. It was really good, really good,” Roberts said of Thursday’s bullpen. “I saw it. It was 28 pitches. Fastball, slider, change. Really good.”
Roberts added that Snell completed a bullpen of his own. The left-hander began his bullpen progression on June 26.
“Saw Snell also, that was really, really good too.”
Blake Treinen
As for Treinen, Roberts does not have a firm timeline on where he is at in the recovery process. The right-hander has been on the 15-day injured list since June 20 with elbow inflammation.
Treinen has began playing catch again, but that is the extent of his progress.
“I know he’s just playing catch, but we’re going to take it slow. I don’t see it before the All-Star break, so then we’ll kind of reassess at that point in time,” Roberts said.
Roberts could not say for certain, but it is a safe assumption that Treinen is currently symptom free.
“You know, I haven’t talked to Blake,” he said. “My assumption, because he is throwing and started the progression, that he is symptom free, which, if he weren’t, that wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. So, I would assume he is.”
Shohei Ohtani two-way role
Motivated by a variety of factors, the Dodgers made the decision to push Ohtani’s pitching start back two days from its scheduled date on Wednesday.
The Dodgers deemed it necessary since they are in the midst of playing 13 games in a row and don’t have an off day in their schedule until Thursday, July 9.
Similarly, the Dodgers have occasionally limited Ohtani to only pitching this season depending on the context. That will not be the case on Friday, as Roberts confirmed Ohtani will occupy the two-way role.
“He is going to do both tomorrow. I just talked to him earlier today. He’s feeling better every day. Just the way he’s moving the last couple days has been better,” Roberts said.
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