Despite playing better baseball as of late, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be decimated by injuries. Particularly in the starting rotation, where the club has lost Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu in recent weeks.
The aforementioned names represent four-fifths of the Dodgers’ initial starting rotation to begin the season. As a domino effect, the likes of Walker Buehler and Ross Stripling have stepped up in their absences, with each receiving an increased workload.
Buehler and Stripling are in the midst of breakout campaigns, with the former emerging as a legitimate National League Rookie of the Year candidate. Moreover, the two have kept Los Angeles afloat in the standings with their unexpected contributions.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently credited the team’s depth for seamlessly being able to take on extended roles in the wake of unforeseeable injuries, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“It absolutely won’t destroy us,” Roberts said. “It’s not ideal. Missing 80 percent of your starting rotation at some point, the shortstop, and it goes on and on. We have guys to plug in and it gives guys runways.”
In addition to the plethora of injuries to the pitching staff, the Dodgers previously lost shortstop Corey Seager for the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery at the start of May.
Even before that, the Dodgers were without the services of Justin Turner for nearly seven weeks after fracturing his wrist in Spring Training. The lengthy injury led to Max Muncy receiving a promotion from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he took advantage of his opportunity.
Muncy thrived offensively and has since moved to first base as an effort to keep him in the lineup with Turner back in the fold. He enters play on Saturday with an .847 on-base plus slugging — good for second on the Dodgers behind Matt Kemp’s mark of .932.
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