The Los Angeles Dodgers officially placed Kenta Maeda on the 10-day injured list due to a left adductor contusion. It was the final corresponding move needed to add Matt Beaty and Kyle Garlick to the active roster from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
JT Chargois and Rocky Gale were optioned to OKC on Thursday, with Caleb Ferguson returning from the IL. That temporarily left the Dodgers with an open spot on their 25-man roster.
Maeda is two days removed from setting a season high with 12 strikeouts against the San Diego Padres. More impressively was that each came on a swing and miss and he needed just 85 pitches to get through 6.2 shutout innings while allowing only three hits.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts bringing the hook for Maeada earned him a chorus of boos from the fans at Dodger Stadium. Though, Roberts was hardly deterred or affected by development.
“I think that for me, Kenta was on regular rest, and that seventh inning I started to see the ball go a little bit wide,” Roberts explained. “The slider wasn’t as sharp, he made a good pitch on Renfroe, (but) missed a couple times with the fastball in the zone. For me, I just felt it was a great outing and just felt that was the time.
“Over certain times we’ve pushed him, and there’s other variables. With the regular rest and extra time, things like that, are layered in as well.
“I think that it’s one thing where if I was running for office and I’m trying to get the crowd approval, but I’m trying to help us win a championship. That’s something that’s well thought out, and it worked out. They don’t always work out, but I have reasons why I do what I do.”
Maeda received a standing ovation as he walked off the field for what he deemed one of his best starts with the Dodgers. In addition to a dominant performance on the mound, Maeda went 2-for-3 with a two-run single.
He became the first pitcher since 1920 (when RBI became an official stat) to have at least 12 strikeouts in a game while driving in all of his team’s runs (minimum two runs scored). However, it was also during an at-bat that Maeda fouled a pitch off his thigh, which caused the injury.
The Dodgers have two off days next week, which makes it possible to get by with four starters for the time being. Maeda is 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA, 3.76 FIP and 1.19 WHIP in nine starts thus far in 2019.
