As the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to deal with multiple injuries throughout their pitching staff, Landon Knack and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are primed to join the starting rotation.
Knack is taking the place of Clayton Kershaw on Friday, and Yamamoto is scheduled to come off the 60-day injured list for a start Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs.
Kershaw was removed from his start last week because of left big toe pain that manager Dave Roberts revealed after the Dodgers’ win was caused by a bone spur. Roberts added it’s an injury Kershaw has occasionally dealt with during parts of multiple seasons.
Kershaw is in a walking boot but the Dodgers aren’t yet certain of a timetable for his return this season.
Meanwhile, Knack is poised to join the Dodgers roster for a sixth time this season. He was on their Opening Day roster for the Seoul Series but didn’t pitch against the San Diego Padres.
It wasn’t until Knack was recalled in the middle of April that he made his MLB debut. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 10 games (eight starts) for the Dodgers this season.
While with Triple-A Oklahoma City throughout the year, Knack has gone 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA across 14 games (12 starts).
The Dodgers will need to make a corresponding roster move in order to recall Knack and activate Yamamoto. Bobby Miller, Michael Grove and Michael Petersen are candidates to get optioned.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto returning
Yamamoto is on track to be activated after making two starts for the Oklahoma City Baseball Club while on a rehab assignment. He completed two innings in both outings, but fell short of the targeted goal in Tuesday’s start at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
The Dodgers hoped for Yamamoto to stretch out to three innings and throw a fourth in the bullpen, but he labored early and was removed after two frames.
“With the results it doesn’t look good. However, there were good pitches and as a rehab assignment, I think I did all I could do,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda.
Yamamoto is 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 14 starts this season.
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