The Los Angeles Dodgers have been overly active in recent days as they continue to make moves in the interest of shoring up their bullpen. Alexis Díaz, Will Klein and José Ureña have all been brought into the organization in the past week.
The Dodgers’ bullpen has been hit hard by injury this season, with the loss of Evan Phillips for the rest of the season being the most recent example. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 29 and underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
It hasn’t been all negative for the Dodgers this week, with the news that Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech could be back in the bullpen over the next few days.
Yates and Kopech each threw to live hitters at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday prior to the game against the New York Mets.
Dodgers updates
Kirby Yates
“For both guys in all honesty, is see how they feel [Thursday]. And then I think we’ll have a much better decision on this weekend for both those guys,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
As it stands, Roberts believes Yates has a better chance of returning to the Dodgers roster this weekend. But the throwing session went well for both right-handers.
“I thought Kirby was good, talked to him briefly afterward. (Threw) strikes, did his usual. I think he felt good coming out of it,” Roberts said. “And as long as he feels good tomorrow, then there’s certainly a good possibility to be activated this weekend.
“With Michael, I didn’t talk to him, the stuff was good. Just curious to see what the pitching guys and training staff feel, and what he thinks of how he felt today, and we’ll kind of move forward after that.”
Yates made 22 appearances for the Dodgers before a right hamstring strain sidelined him on May 18.
Michael Kopech
Kopech has not pitched in a game this season and missed out on all of Spring Training as he nursed a right shoulder injury.
Kopech received his first taste of game action this season while on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The right-hander struggled in the nine games he pitched, allowing 11 runs, eight hits and walking 11 in 6.1 innings.
While the results were poor, the Dodgers still have faith that Kopech will be a positive contributor this season once he is activated.
“The reports were that the stuff was good, certainly the line wasn’t good and consistent,” Roberts said. “I think more of the thought is with this track record, the heightened focus being here, that’s kind of our thought about the potential activation.”
As for the command issues Kopech had while in the Minors, Roberts isn’t too worried and had a suggestion on how to rectify the situation.
“I think it’s the secondaries and getting comfortable with those. Certainly, the command, but he’s more going to be stuff over command,” he said. “That’s kind of who he is and has been, so that’s one part of that. But I think it’s just feeling confident with his entire pitch mix.”
Rehab assignments are important in their own right for players to shake off the rust, but nothing beats the full support and resources that comes with being back with the Major League club.
“It’s important. I think, obviously, you’re in rehab mode, you’re not around,” Roberts noted. “So to get back to your teammates and the coaches, they might be able to kind of detect some things or clean some things up mechanically.”
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