The Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday activated Brett Anderson from the 60-day disabled list, put Brandon McCarthy on the DL, and designated Zach Walters for assignment to clear room on the active and 40-man rosters.
Anderson starts the series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is the last of the three incumbent pitchers who began the year on the DL to make his 2016 debut. It’s plausible the 28-year-old may be the last standing of the trio. Hyun-Jin Ryu and now McCarthy now back on the DL.
At the time of undergoing surgery in March to repair a bulging disc in his back, Anderson was projected to miss three to five months.
He began a rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on July 28, made a second start with the Quakes, then joined Triple-A Oklahoma City for a third and final outing.
Anderson threw a combined 12 innings, allowed five runs (three earned) and had 11 strikeouts over 12 innings pitched.
The southpaw went 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 1.33 WHIP last season. Anderson set career highs with 31 starts and 180.1 innings pitched, and led the Majors with a 66.3 ground ball percentage.
He returned for the 2016 season with the Dodgers by accepting the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer.
McCarthy is suffering from right hip stiffness that’s affected him since fielding a bunt in the second inning on Aug. 2. McCarthy set a career high with five walks in that start, and matched it in each of his next two outings.
Walters was hitless in five at-bats over three games with the Dodgers. He hit .276/.326/.444 with 18 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 53 RBIs in 94 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City.