One year ago Brandon McCarthy was largely an afterthought for the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he was in the midst of recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander made four starts for the club in 2015 prior to undergoing the operation in May.
Now the 33-year-old appears to have secured one of the two remaining spots in the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation. Scott Kazmir, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brock Stewart, Ross Stripling and Julio Urias were others who at one point factored into the discussion. So too did Alex Wood, who is likely to slot in the rotation as well.
McCarthy took the mound Monday afternoon against the Cleveland Indians for his fourth start of the spring. It was another outing filled with mixed results, and Ike Davis’ two errors in the first inning certainly didn’t do McCarthy any favors.
The right-hander nonetheless managed to pitch 4.1 innings in what was his longest Cactus League start, and allowed five runs (two earned) on six hits.
Beyond results, McCarthy is using the spring to get back in the mindset of maintaining his in-game focus, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“I noticed last year, after spending 14 or 15 months, the focus is not the same,” McCarthy said. “You turn off that muscle and I noticed in games it wasn’t as sharp and I couldn’t call on it like I wanted to. Nothing in a rehab program calls for that like a Major League game. Spring is long but it gives me a chance to work on that muscle.”
McCarthy returned from Tommy John surgery last June, rising to the occasion at a time when the Dodgers’ rotation was very much a revolving door. He went 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in his first four starts prior to attempting to pitch through hip stiffness.
McCarthy then walked 17 batters in 12.1 innings over his next four starts, setting a career high with five walks in one of the outings. He matched that total in two ensuing starts, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
The veteran righty later admitted to suffering from a case of the yips. McCarthy started the game in which the Dodgers clinched the National League West, but his final time pitching in 2016 was a failed test as a reliever.
McCarthy finished the season 2-3 with a 4.95 ERA, 3.70 FIP and 1.38 WHIP in 10 appearances (nine starts). This spring, he’s 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, has seven strikeouts to one walk, and allowed three home runs in 13 innings pitched.
