With a commanding lead in the National League West standings, the Los Angeles Dodgers are all but guaranteed a fifth consecutive division title and spot in the playoffs. The comfortable cushion has presented the team with multiple luxuries.
One of them being not rushing Clayton Kershaw in his return from a lower back strain, while being able to exercise caution with others who might endure a minor issue. Alex Wood falls in that category, as he admitted to feeling fatigued following a start against the Atlanta Braves.
Wood didn’t express much concern over the matter, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was unlikely the southpaw would miss his next start.
The first test to that holding true came Sunday, as Wood made a mechanical adjustment that led to a successful bullpen session at Citi Field, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
After admitting to fatigue in his last start, Alex Wood made a slight mechanical adjustment during his bullpen session on Sunday afternoon, tweaking the alignment of his hips as he delivered the baseball. The shift caused the life to return to his fastball, he said. He described his stuff as “filthy” during the session.
Roberts told reporters Wood remains on track to start Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the middle game of a three-game series at Chase Field.
Wood’s fastball velocity in his last start was down roughly two miles per hour from his season average. He nonetheless managed to hold the Braves to just one run on seven hits over six innings.
Due to a break in the Dodgers’ schedule on Monday, Wood will have an additional day of rest before next taking the mound. Despite beginning the season in the bullpen and spending 12 days on the disabled list due to left SC joint inflammation, Wood has thrown 98.1 innings over 18 games (16 starts).
That’s up considerably from last year’s 60.1 innings pitched in 14 games (10 starts). Wood’s 2016 campaign was disrupted by elbow surgery that forced him to a role out of the bullpen upon returning.
