Of the injuries the Los Angeles Dodgers have endured, the bulk have resided with the pitching staff. Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill began the season on the 10-day injured list, and Hyun-Jin Ryu was then sidelined due to a strained groin.
The trio of starters have since gotten healthy, but one of the more recent injuries the Dodgers were faced with was Caleb Ferguson experiencing some oblique trouble. It forced him to the 10-day IL but the Dodgers were encouraged Ferguson’s issue was not a complete tear.
Manager Dave Roberts deemed it a ‘best-case scenario,’ and the left-hander quickly was able to resume throwing. That paved the way to Ferguson pitching in a simulated game, which he did Tuesday by facing Joc Pederson and Travis d’Arnaud at Dodger Stadium.
He came out of it well and next will join a Dodgers Minor League affiliate to begin a rehab assignment, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Reliever Caleb Ferguson pitched a simulated game on Tuesday and later in the week will begin a Minor League rehab assignment.
“It was coming out good,” said Roberts.
Ferguson began the season on the Opening Day roster as one of the members of the Dodgers bullpen. He put together 6.1 scoreless innings over seven appearances before beginning to struggle.
Ferguson’s last appearance before landing on the IL was particularly rough as he failed to retire any batters faced and exited with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Roberts wasn’t certain if Ferguson may have been concealing his oblique trouble and thus not been as effective. Overall this season, Ferguson is 0-1 and pitched to a 3.46 ERA and 1.69 WHIP.
Tony Cingrani moves rehab assignment
Yet to pitch this season after being shut down during Spring Training because of a shoulder impingement, Tony Cingrani joined Triple-A Oklahoma City as he continues with a rehab assignment. Cingrani allowed a pair of infield singles, issued a walk and struck out two in one inning of work for Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
He debuted this year with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, tossing a scoreless inning with the only batter reaching coming via error.
Cingrani can remain on a rehab assignment for a maximum of 30 days permitted for pitchers. Whenever he and Ferguson are deemed healthy to return, the Dodgers will face a decision in their bullpen.
It’s a crowded unit that includes starters-turned-relievers Ross Stripling and Julio Urias. Scott Alexander, Pedro Baez, Dylan Floro, Stripling and Urias have Minor League options remaining.
