The Los Angeles Dodgers reinstated Walker Buehler from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday and optioned Scott Alexander to their alternate training site.
Buehler is back on the first day he was eligible to be activated and is scheduled to start the second game of the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was sidelined last Thursday by a blister on his throwing hand, with the IL stint retroactive to Aug. 23.
Buehler threw a bullpen session over the weekend without the blister covered to ensure it would not be an issue moving forward. “Everything has been going really well with that blister,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“It was obviously the right hand, and I think it was his right index finger, where it’s not as important as the middle finger when you’re talking about spinning. But still, the index finger is pivotal. … I don’t know what particular pitch or type of pitch led to the blister. This is something that’s very new to him. He’s never had to deal with a blister, so it’s really unknown.
“I don’t think it’s specific to one pitch and it’s also not a pain thing. It’s just one of those things that the skin starts to come apart or you get that blister, and once it comes to the sensitive part, then it can kind of get into a bad place.
“So we wanted to combat that and right now it’s kind of back to normal. We’re confident any pitch that he throws and going deep into a game, it shouldn’t be compromised.”
With Buehler returning Wednesday, it pushed Clayton Kershaw back to the series finale. Julio Urias is going to become the first pitcher to start on regular rest this season when he takes the mound Sunday.
Shuffling lefties
To this point in the season, Adam Kolarek had the left-handed reliever who the Dodgers had going between their active roster and USC. Alexander was optioned one day after issuing a pair of walks and allowing a two-run homer in the ninth inning.
His second walk led to Kenley Jansen coming in for the final out despite the Dodgers taking a 6-1 lead into the ninth.
“Scottie, first two outs, really good. Then with the walk and left a pitch up to Ahmed, then there was another walk in there,” Roberts said. “One of those games you don’t want to get Kenley in the game when you have a five-run lead in the ninth inning, but you’ve still got to lock down that game.”
Alexander is 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA, 5.98 FIP and 1.46 WHIP in 13 games. He was a late arrival to Summer Camp because of contracting coronavirus (COVID-19) and despite being a diabetic, never considered opting out of the 2020 season.
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