Grant Dayton threw off the mound at Dodger Stadium, with Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach onlooking. The throwing session came three days after Dayton completed a simulated game.
Roberts continues to be encouraged by what he’s seen from the left-hander who’s been on the 10-day disabled list since July 28 due to neck stiffness. “Grant looks healthy, throwing the baseball really well,” Roberts said Tuesday.
“Certain things we have as far as reading some characteristics of his pitches, he’s back to where he needs to be. He was spinning out and coming off the baseball, now his direction is really good. The way he’s throwing it, staying behind the baseball, the spin is really good.”
The DL stint because of neck trouble is the second of the season for Dayton. He’s appeared in just 29 games this season, going 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA, 5.72 FIP and 1.31 WHIP.
Roberts wasn’t nearly as enthusiastic over Franklin Gutierrez, though there’s hope the outfielder will make a return at some point this season. “Franklin, with what he’s been going through physically, there’s good days and bad days,” Roberts said.
Gutierrez was placed on the 10-day disabled list June 25 and transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 4. Gutierrez missed three weeks from April to May with a hamstring strain, but his current stay on the DL is due to the gastrointestinal issue/ankylosis spondylitis that’s affected him in recent years.
Gutierrez is batting /232/.317/.339 with three doubles, one home run and eight RBI in 63 plate appearances over 35 games.
The amount of time missed calls for him to go on a rehab assignment prior to being activated, and Dayton is in a similar position. That could prove somewhat complicated.
“When you’re looking at the Minor League schedule, the days are counting down,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to get [Gutierrez] out there at some point, and Grant is the same.”
