While the Los Angeles Dodgers canvas the trade market for a starting pitcher ahead of Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, the possibility remains that reinforcement will arrive from within the organization.
Brett Anderson, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood are all currently on the disabled list. As it stands, each southpaw is expected to return at some point this season. Though, Kershaw’s and Ryu’s timelines remain unknown.
Wood, who underwent an arthroscopic debridement on his left elbow on July 20, was projected to miss approximately eight weeks.
Meanwhile, Anderson begins a rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday night. According to Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times, Anderson is looking forward to advancing with his recovery:
“It’s not all the way back, but it’s the next major hurdle to get over,” said Anderson, who was 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA last season. “It will be my first time in a game, so I can get some adrenaline going and focus on pitching instead of rehabbing, which is always good.”
Anderson is expected to throw three innings with the Quakes in the opener of a four-game series with the High Desert Mavericks (Texas Rangers affiliate). Anderson was said to miss three to five months after undergoing back surgery in early March to repair a bulging disc.
Earlier this month Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called a return in mid-August was realistic. The 28-year-old Anderson accepted the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer to put himself in position to test a weaker crop of free-agent starting pitchers after the 2016 season.
That decision, for now, appears to have backfired. But if Anderson is able to replicate some of his success from 2015 it would help offset time missed. He led the Majors with a 66.3 ground ball percentage, and set career highs in starts (31) and innings pitched (180.1).
