The Los Angeles Dodgers transferred Scott Alexander to the 60-day injured list as one of two required moves to call up Dustin May for his MLB debut Friday night against the San Diego Padres. Dylan Floro was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in order to add May to the active roster.
Alexander has been sidelined since June 11, initially due to left forearm inflammation. He resumed playing catch shortly after and threw off a mound within two week’s time. Alexander was due to face batters at Camelback Ranch and advance to a rehab assignment but suffered a setback.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed he was dealing with an additional thumb injury but it was not considered serious. More recently, Roberts explained Alexander’s trouble stemmed from a nerve issue in his left thumb. Surgery was not considered necessary.
The Dodgers have not provided any sort of timeline for his return, though Friday’s paper move does little to alter that. Alexander still remains eligible to be activated in just over one week.
“Scott right now is still in the mode of trying to let the nerve heal up,” Roberts said last week. “There’s no throwing, so he’s kind of in a holding pattern right now.”
Alexander previously dealt with a minor hamstring issue that limited his availability during a stretch in May. He’s appeared in just 28 games this season, going 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA, 5.07 FIP and 1.39 WHIP.
With Alexander’s struggles and Tony Cingrani undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery without throwing a pitch in 2019 and subsequently getting traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on deadline day, the Dodgers acquired Adam Kolarek from the Tampa Bay Rays.
He figures to be deployed as their lefty specialist, but Kolarek is open to any role asked of him.
