Considering the Los Angeles Dodgers’ luck with injuries this season, it’s fitting Rich Hill has yet to debut with the club because of a lingering blister issue. Hill was acquired at the non-waiver deadline to reinforce the Dodgers’ rotation.
He was on the 15-day disabled list at the time of being traded and last pitched in a Major League game July 17. However, the outing lasted all of five pitches as the blister on the middle finger of Hill’s hand ripped open.
The southpaw completed a bullpen session while the Dodgers were in Denver and was tentatively scheduled to start Aug. 7. Remnants of a second blister prevented that from occurring, and Hill also didn’t make a scheduled start Aug. 14.
After multiple delays, Hill is scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Hill likely rehab start at OKC on Monday.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) August 13, 2016
The rehab outing puts Hill on track to make his Dodgers debut Saturday in the second of a four-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds. Of course, the southpaw would first need to get through Monday’s start without his blister again becoming an issue.
Hill this season is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA, 2.53 FIP and 1.09 WHIP. Beyond the five pitches he threw July 17, Hill’s last start came July 7. Prior to the multiple setbacks, the Dodgers maintained a rehab assignment was not going to be necessary for the 36-year-old.
