The Los Angeles Dodgers did some juggling last weekend with their starting rotation because of Rich Hill was forced to the disabled list due to a cracked fingernail on the middle finger of his left hand.
The issue was considered minor, and Hill went so far as to say he was capable of making his previously scheduled start in the series opener against the Washington Nationals. The expectation was Hill would only miss the one start.
But he didn’t come off the DL when eligible last week, instead testing the finger with a bullpen session and subsequent simulated game. All went well, putting him on track to return Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Hill won’t be activated as planned, however, because of an infection that developed in his finger, per David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio:
Rich Hill noticed something abnormal about his finger in between games yesterday that didn’t look like a blister when he went to throw. It got worse over night and that’s when he was diagnosed with an infection in his left middle finger.
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 29, 2018
Hill joins a growing list of Dodgers who are dealing with injury, and in response to that the club recalled Brock Stewart on Sunday in a corresponding move to placing Yasiel Puig on the disabled list.
With Hill no longer a candidate to start the series opener against the Diamondbacks, the Dodgers will turn to Ross Stripling. Stewart was also under consideration to make a spot start.
