Earlier this month Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not rule out Brandon McCarthy possibly coming off the 60-day disabled list prior to season’s end. Roberts added the right-hander potentially being included on the club’s postseason roster.
At the time of Roberts’ comments, McCarthy was on a rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. He allowed three runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked one over five innings in Game 3 of a playoff series against the Lancaster JetHawks.
The outing was McCarthy’s third for the Quakes since he was placed on the 10-day disabled list July 24 (retroactive to July 21) because of a blister on the third finger of his right hand. He’s since started for Double-A Tulsa, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings on Friday night.
With an encouraging rehab outing to build on, Roberts said the Dodgers expect to activate McCarthy once the team begins their homestand late next week and he may pitch out of the bullpen, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Roberts said Brandon McCarthy will join #Dodgers in LA and come off DL next week. Might pitch out of bullpen "to see what that looks like"
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 16, 2017
Should McCarthy switch to coming out of the bullpen, it will mark his second time in as many seasons doing such. His lone relief appearance in 2016 saw the San Francisco Giants score six runs and McCarthy face six batters without recording an out.
He began this season on an encouraging note and helped stabilize a rotation that faced questions marks early. But McCarthy began to battle command issues and his effectiveness waned. In addition to the blister, he’s been affected by knee tendinitis.
Over 16 starts this season, McCarthy is 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.
