Dodgers lefty reliever Paco Rodriguez needs surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow and will miss eight to ten weeks, as Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register notes. The Dodgers do not appear likely to pursue bullpen help at the trade deadline, however.
The Dodgers placed Rodriguez on the disabled list with an elbow strain in late May, and he had made a series of successful rehab appearances, leading the Dodgers to believe his return to the big leagues was imminent. “It seemed like it was going pretty good,” says manager Don Mattingly. “There was even talk of activating him here in Miami. So it was really the last second.”
Even with Rodriguez likely out for much of the rest of the season, however, the Dodgers do not appear to be seeking outside relief help. J.P. Howell and Adam Liberatore have had success as lefties out of the Dodgers’ bullpen, and the team also has Daniel Coulombe as a backup option. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman also recently said that adding extra relievers would not be a top priority.
“Bullpens, by nature, are a little inconsistent but we feel like we’ve not only got a talented ‘pen but a very deep ‘pen,” said Friedman. “Once we get guys back, I think it’s going to end up being a strength for us.” The team activated Pedro Baez this weekend after he spent six weeks on the disabled list with a pectoral strain.
Rodriguez was a key part of the Dodgers’ bullpen as a 22-year-old in 2013, but he spent most of last season pitching for Triple-A Albuquerque due to a roster crunch. He’s had modest success in brief stints in the big leagues in each of the last two seasons.
