The Los Angeles Dodgers have recently been bitten by the injury bug, with a number of key players forced to go on the 10-day injured list in recent weeks.
After previously losing Rich Hill, Chris Taylor and David Freese, the Dodgers are now with Ross Stripling. He left his last start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after just five innings due to neck stiffness.
A couple hours after leaving his start, Stripling said there was a 50% chance of making his next start — Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies.
Stripling twice threw off flat ground at Nationals Park, but was placed on the injured list on Saturday due to right biceps tendinitis.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained how the neck trouble began to affect Stripling’s arm and estimated he could be out multiple starts, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“Obviously it started out in the neck and probably compromised his delivery, which got into the biceps,” Roberts said. “He went out there and played catch today and didn’t feel good. When you’re talking about the arm with a pitcher, you have to be really cautious.”
Roberts said Stripling will probably miss “a start or two.”
In 26 games (12 starts) this season, Stripling is 4-4 with a 3.64 ERA, 3.93 FIP and 1.17 WHIP with 76 strikeouts and 19 walks in 76.2 innings.
With the MLB trade deadline less than a week away, the next couple of days could loom large for the Dodgers. If Stripling’s neck injury is more serious than originally thought, the club may look to trade for a starting pitcher.
Los Angeles has already been linked to some of the top starters Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets and Marcus Stroman of the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the interim, the Dodgers now are in need of a starter for Tuesday’s game at Coors Field. One conceivable option is again using Julio Urias. He’s made five starts this season, though four of those came in April.
When Urias was pressed into spot duty last month, he tossed three innings in an opener role of sorts.
