While the Los Angeles Dodgers await the MRI results on Dustin May, at minimum they will be without the right-hander for more than a week after he was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday.
May was first to take the mound on extra rest in the latest turn through the rotation as the Dodgers kept usage in mind during their current stretch of 14 consecutive games without a day off. However, looking out through the first two weeks of May, breaks in the schedule are on the horizon.
More specifically, the Dodgers have three off days between Monday and Thursday, April 13. With that, the team is contemplating paring down to a four-man starting rotation for the time being.
“We’re talking through it right now. There’s potential weather in Chicago for that first game, which could change things as well,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Certainly with the off days looking out, four-man (rotation) could make sense.”
Dodgers probables for the series with the Chicago Cubs that begins Monday are Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Bauer. Julio Urias is then slated to start the Freeway Series opener on Friday.
Looking further down the road, the Dodgers plan to build up Tony Gonsolin as a starting pitcher during his current rehab from right shoulder inflammation. Of course, there also is the potential of the Dodgers going outside the organization for pitching help.
“Our baseball ops. guys are always kind of looking for players,” Roberts acknowledged.
Urias gives Dodgers needed start
With the team coming off back-to-back bullpen games because May left his outing in the second inning, Urias rose to the occasion Sunday and held the Milwaukee Brewers to just one run and had 10 strikeouts over seven innings.
Urias was spotted a five-run lead before throwing a single pitch in the first inning, and the Dodgers extended that to 9-0 in the second. “It always feels good to go out there with a lead,” Urias said through an interpreter.
“Not to overthink or overanalyze giving up a home run, maybe giving up something early and being down 1-0. To go out there and have a big lead is something you can go out, attack and do your thing.”
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