The Los Angeles Dodgers reinstated Michael Grove from the 15-day injured list and optioned Gavin Stone to Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to Saturday’s game against the San Francisco Giants.
Grove returns after missing nearly seven weeks due to right lat tightness. It marked a second time Grove was put on the injured list this season as he previously missed a stretch from April into early June because of a right groin strain.
After spending multiple weeks recovering at Camelback Ranch, Grove began a rehab assignment with Oklahoma City on September 7. He allowed two runs on three hits and collected three strikeouts over one inning of work out of the bullpen.
The 26-year-old didn’t pitch again until 10 days later, again completing one inning as a reliever but that time striking out the side. Grove followed that with four strikeouts over 1.1 innings this past Wednesday in what marked a final appearance on his rehab assignment.
Overall this season with the Dodgers, Grove is 2-3 with a 6.61 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 15 games (12 starts). He was part of the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation because of injuries to Tony Gonsolin and Ryan Pepiot, but is expected to remain in a relief role.
Stone heads back to Oklahoma City after giving up two home runs and being tabbed with the loss to the Giants on Friday night.
Stone is among several Dodgers prospects to make their MLB debut this season, and like Grove, has seen his role shift. The right-hander endured some growing pains while making a string of starts in May, then made one relief appearance in both July and August.
Upon getting recalled again this month, Stone made just one start in three overall games.
Across his four stints with the Dodgers, Stone is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in eight games (four starts). He’s gone 7-4 with a 4.74 ERA across 21 games (19 starts) at the Triple-A level this year.
Is Michael Grove going to be on Dodgers postseason roster?
As the Dodgers continue to evaluate their pitching plan for October, manager Dave Roberts said Grove was going to receive ample opportunities over the final week-plus to potentially earn a spot on the postseason roster.
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