Now that every member has reported to Camelback Ranch for Spring Training, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in their first week of full-squad workouts ahead of Friday’s Cactus League opener against the Chicago White Sox.
Pitchers and catchers got a jump start last week, though a handful of position players were also on hand earlier than expected.One pitcher who couldn’t begin throwing off a mound when originally planned, however, was Alex Wood.
He tweaked his right ankle during workouts, which pushed back his scheduled bullpen session. After receiving treatment and a few days of rest, Wood was once again back on the mound.
He threw the mentioned bullpen session on Monday, with the plan calling for facing hitters on Wednesday, according to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Alex Wood tested his right ankle with a 28-pitch bullpen session on Saturday. He had injured himself during calisthenics on Thursday. Wood indicated he was still limited in the amount of running he could do, but did not expect his throwing program to be effective. Wood planned to throw a lengthier bullpen session on Monday, followed by a round of live batting practice on Wednesday.
Wood had X-rays on his ankle as a precaution, but the favorable results revealed only inflammation. That the Dodgers are exercising caution with the left-hander is certainly understandable.
Unlike last spring, Wood is expected to have a spot in the Opening Day rotation. He’s coming off a career season, though one that did include a sternum injury. In addition to the minor ankle issue, the upper-body trouble is not expected to hinder Wood this season.
