While the Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten healthier over recent weeks, they remain without two key starting pitchers in Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, and closer Edwin Díaz.
Glasnow has been on the injured list since May 8 due to lower back spasms, and while the team anticipated a relatively quick return, multiple setbacks have prevented that.
Snell, meanwhile, has been sidelined since May 15 after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow. The 33-year-old, nevertheless, is making progress and took a big step forward in his recovery over the weekend.
Díaz has been out since April 20, as he also had surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. The 32-year-old has been throwing to hitters and has now taken the final step in his rehab.
Dodgers updates
Tyler Glasnow
Glasnow threw a fastball-only bullpen session on Friday, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t ready to say what his next steps are until he can get past the issues that have been plaguing him.
“I think for Glass, it’s more of how he feels after the fact, because I think that there’s been times where he’s played catch, he’s thrown ‘pens, and then feels good until he doesn’t,” Roberts explained. The back is a little tricky. I haven’t seen him today. Hopefully, he comes in feeling good today, and then when he throws his ‘pen, we can just keep kind of moving the needle.
“But trying to get a good base so we don’t have a setback. because obviously now, in the middle of the season, setbacks are going to be hard to overcome now.”
While some uncertainty lingers, Roberts believes Glasnow being able to throw off a mound is a step in the right direction.
“No, it’s encouraging,” Roberts began. “I think for me, not having seen him throw ‘pens recently, it’s about his presence, and he’s in a good mood, very jovial, clarity of mind, so I think for me that’s pretty telling on how his body feels. So hopefully we can just keep building off that.”
Blake Snell
After completing multiple bullpen sessions, Snell threw live batting practice on Saturday for the first time since his operation.
“Snell was good today. Looked really good,” Roberts said. “He did an up-down, two innings, and I think he’s supposed to go out next week. So next Saturday, next weekend, he’s going to start his rehab progression.”
Snell is on track to begin a rehab assignment shortly after the All-Star break, which Roberts expects to be lengthy.
“Well, I think he says he feels better right now than he did when he returned before,” Roberts began. “I think ideally the floor is five (innings) and 75 (pitches), so probably start out at two innings, then three. So you’re looking at you know four or five outings probably.”
Edwin Díaz
Díaz began his rehab assignment with the Single-A Ontario Tower Buzzers on Saturday night, marking the start of his last step before returning to the Dodgers.
Díaz entered in the fourth inning and struck out two hitters while giving up one hit in a scoreless inning. Both of the first two batters struck out before Dustin Crenshaw singled, but he was caught stealing to end the inning.
It’s unclear at the moment how long Díaz will be on his rehab assignment, but it should be shorter than the 30-day maximum that a pitcher is eligible to be on one.
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