The Los Angeles Dodgers did not stand pat at the trade deadline, but they didn’t make any seismic moves like some anticipated.
Instead, they opted for shrewd trades to bolster the roster in areas of need, believing the talent already on their roster and injured list will provide a sufficient boost leading into October.
Max Muncy has been out since sustaining a bone bruise in his right knee on July 2 and is four weeks into an estimated six-week recovery timeline. Muncy has made rapid progress during his recovery and began his rehab assignment this past Tuesday.
Roki Sasaki’s debut season was interrupted by injury eight starts into his career due to a right shoulder impingement. It has been an arduous road to recovery for Sasaki, but he has been making steady progress recently.
And while Kirby Yates has found his way back to the IL on Friday, it appears he hasn’t necessarily been lost for the season.
Dodgers updates
Max Muncy
By July 18, Muncy was swinging a bat and fielding grounders for the first time since his injury. The Dodgers were pleased by how well his body had recovered up to that point and expected that Muncy would return ahead of schedule.
He has completed three games with Triple-A Oklahoma City and appears to be on the verge of getting back into the Dodgers lineup.
“He’ll play through the weekend and we’ll see where he’s at. Hopefully early next week is my hope of when he’ll be back,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Kirby Yates
Yates has not been as effective as he was last season, but those struggles have been more pronounced in his past seven appearance.
For now, the Dodgers are calling it lower back pain, but they are in the process of narrowing down the issue.
“We’re trying to figure it out. In the last, call it two weeks, he hasn’t felt great,” Roberts said. “Hasn’t been injured, which is why he kept pitching and competing.
“But flew him home this morning to meet with the doctor and get some tests, see if there’s something that’s been agitating him. Something is just not right, so we’re trying to suss that out.
“It’s more of the middle part of the body, the pelvic, the back. Trying to figure that out.”
This isn’t Yates’ first time on the IL this season, with his first coming on May 18 due to a right hamstring strain.
Roberts beleives it is possible the two injuries might be correlated, and are reasons for Yates’ struggles.
“You look at the fastball, the velocity and all that stuff has been good, but the split has been non-existent. That might’ve bled into that,” he said.
Yates is eligible to be activated on Wednesday, Aug. 13, due to the Dodgers backdating his IL stint.
Roki Sasaki
Sasaki threw a 39-pitch bullpen session on July 20 and completed a second one prior to his arrival at Camelback Ranch.
He has already completed his first simulated game, throwing one inning. Next is the right-hander taking another step forward.
“Roki is going to do a [two]-inning live batting practice, simulated game, I think on Saturday,” Roberts said.
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