Spring Training has not been kind to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the last couple of years, as in 2018 Justin Turner was hit by a pitch and broke his wrist, costing him the first couple of months of the regular season, then in 2019 both Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill suffered injuries that forced them to begin the season on the injured list.
With the Dodgers holding their first full-squad workout on Tuesday in preparation for their Cactus League opener against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, keeping players healthy begins to take more focus.
Minor and nagging injuries are something that is a part of Spring Training as players’ bodies have to get back to being used to the daily workouts after a long offseason. With so much time until the start of the regular season though, the Dodgers have the luxury of letting players with minor injuries rest to ensure they get back to being 100% healthy.
It appears that is the case with pitchers Dustin May and Jimmy Nelson, as they remain limited with full-squad workouts now beginning, per Alanna Rizzo of SportsNet LA:
Roberts said Dustin May is dealing with left side soreness. Jimmy Nelson is dealing with a groin issue & back tightness. Nothing major. #DodgersST
— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) February 18, 2020
May and Nelson are competing for the fifth spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation, so this is a bit of a setback for both as they look to impress the coaching staff and front office this spring.
While minor injuries typically are nothing to be worried about, Nelson’s history might lead to a bit of a concern in the organization considering he has only pitched 22 big league innings the last two seasons due to arm issues. Minor back and groin injuries are far less serious, though, and should be healed with a few days of rest to avoid it becoming more of a problem.
With Dodgers pitchers throwing bullpens and now progressing to live batting practice, May and Nelson are falling a little bit behind in their preparation for Cactus League games. But the Dodgers have an abundance of starting pitching depth, which again, leaves little cause for concern moving forward.
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