As it stands, the Los Angeles Dodgers have three starting pitchers dealing with various malaises. Clayton Kershaw is recovering from a lower back strain, though proclaimed to be healthy; Yu Darvish is suffering from lower back tightness; and Alex Wood is again dealing with SC joint inflammation.
Like Kershaw, Darvish expressed a sentiment he too is already capable of pitching but is deferring to the Dodgers and their desire to err on the side of caution. Kershaw is set for a rehab start this weekend, while Wood is likely to be skipped in the rotation.
As for Darvish, he completed a bullpen session at PNC Park that included working on adjusting mechanics. He’s scheduled to throw again Thursday and come off the disabled list to face the Milwaukee Brewers in Sunday’s series finale, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Darvish worked with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt on some mechanical adjustments in his delivery during Monday’s throwing session and reported no further issues with his back. He will throw another bullpen session on Thursday and is then penciled in to rejoin the Dodgers’ rotation on Sunday at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Sunday is the first day Darvish is eligible to be activated. He revealed the back tightness has been an issue since his Aug. 10 start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In his three starts with the Dodgers, Darvish is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. His streak of at least three strikeouts in each MLB outing came to an end at 124 starts, as the right-hander only managed to punchout two against the Chicago White Sox.
The 31-year-old intended to pitch through the back tightness but a conversation with Kershaw, who stressed the importance of the postseason, changed his mind.
