The Dodgers have placed both Alex Wood and Cody Bellinger on the DL, the team announced Tuesday. Wood is once again dealing with inflammation in his SC (sternoclavicular) joint, though the breakout southpaw is targeting a return for the first weekend of September against the Padres. As for Bellinger, he’s been slowed recently by a right ankle sprain that has been called mild in nature, but he’s already been out of the lineup for two games, allowing the Dodgers to backdate the move by two days. That’d put Bellinger on track to be eligible to return from the DL as soon as next Wednesday. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters today that top prospect Walker Buehler and rehabbing ace Clayton Kershaw are not candidates to start for the Dodgers in place of Wood this weekend (all Twitter links via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Rather, a bullpen game started by Ross Stripling seems the likeliest course. In corresponding roster moves for Wood and Bellinger, the Dodgers have recalled righties Brock Stewart and Josh Ravin.
More injury news from around the game…
- The Red Sox are no closer to determining a return date for left-hander David Price, manager John Farrell said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today (Twitter link that includes audio). Farrell said it’s still too early to consider bringing Price back in a bullpen capacity, as he’s yet to progress to throwing off a mound. Once he’s able to do that, the Red Sox will be able to gauge a conceivable timeline and weigh their options. Evan Drellich of CSN New England tweets that Price has thrown from 90 feet on flat ground and is slated to throw again tomorrow. It’s now been exactly one month since Price’s last start, as the former Cy Young winner has been battling inflammation in his left elbow.
- Joey Gallo has been placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list, the Rangers announced today. Gallo suffered a nondisplaced nasal fracture in a recent collision with teammate Matt Bush (who landed on the 10-day DL as a result) and has also been dealing with concussion-like symptoms. Texas had hoped that he could avoid the DL, but he’ll now be sidelined until at least next Tuesday as a result of today’s move. Gallo was on an otherworldly power binge at the time of his injury, having launched 10 homers in his past 18 games (73 plate appearances) in the month of August. Infielder Phil Gosselin is up from Triple-A Round Rock to take Gallo’s roster spot.
- Carlos Correa told reporters today that while he’s not yet certain exactly when he’ll embark on a minor league rehab assignment, he thinks he’ll need about a week’s worth of at-bats in the minors before he’s ready to return (Twitter link via Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle). Correa cited a target of 20 to 30 at-bats before he’d be back up to speed. It’s been just under five weeks since the Astros announced that Correa would miss six to eight weeks with a torn thumb ligament.
- Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani received a second opinion on his injured right elbow, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. After an initial MRI revealed that there was no ligament damage in his ailing right elbow, DeSclafani sent his scans to Dr. Keith Meister for a second look, and Meister confirmed as much. DeSclafani is on a throwing program and hopes to ramp up quicker than usual to “really be able to test the ligament and get back on the mound,” but Buchanan notes that time could be starting to run out for DeSclafani to take the mound in a Reds uniform this season. DeSclafani has not pitched for the Reds this season due to a sprained UCL in his right elbow and this latest bout of inflammation.
Feel bad for price just trying to live up to his huge contract
Why? He’s still getting paid.
One of several reasons to sign pitcher to very large contract.StLouis is very very glad.
He told everyone that he DID NOT want to play in Boston and the only reason he signed the contract was to get the most $$$. I’m sure that he has worn parts given the high stress innings he accumulated with Tampa and Detroit.
However he is playing the game so he can stay put without the embarrassment of opting out and finding no takers.
This may go down in MLB history as the worst free agent signing ever.
The PRICE that he pays is being miserable in a market where passionate fans and press demand excellence.
Buehler has already been moved to pen at Oklahoma City, keeping his innings down, he’s coming up, hopefully before Aug.31 deadline to be eligible 4 play-off roster….as a lights-out 1 inning set-up guy….Go Dodgers !!!
He doesn’t need to be up before September to be in the playoffs. He just needs to be in the organization.
I thought player had to be on 25-man roster by 31st, before Sept. call-ups (unless replacing injured player) to be eligible for play-offs, did they charge the rule….? Thanks for all your great work and info !
Actually, you have to at least be on the 40-man roster or the 60-day disabled list. You can petition the front office if you need someone to replace an injured player.
m.mlb.com/glossary/transactions/postseason-eligibi…
You don’t even have to be on the 40 man roster. All you have to do is be in the organization as of August 31st, you can be purchased to replace any injured player after that. And rosters can be changed between rounds too.
It’s how Raul Mondesi played in the 2015 playoffs with the Royals though he didn’t have his contract purchased until late October of that year (adding him to the 4o man). That was long after his season at AA was over.
Joba Chamberlain was DFA’d off the 40 man roster to make room for him.
Lights out one inning guy? Hhhhmmm. Maybe. Who knows. But nice to see a fan who so obviously is enjoying the …. at a minimum …. fantastic regular season by his team. I know you cannot wait til October
Haters hate….n fresh turds steam, JKB the highlite of ur career would be u fouling a ball off Buehler, a lil tap job off end of bat, pinnacle of ur existence, look up his pedigree n stats, 3 levels this yr, while u waste all ur “incredible” literary talent amusing ur self….
He doesn’t need to be up by then. Seager was a September call up and played in october
And the Dodgers will still easily make it to 110+ wins.
Is Wood even truly injured this time?? Or are they just giving him some rest down the stretch, so they can try to make sure he’s healthy for their playoff run??
They are definitely going to need Alex Wood in the playoffs though, but this is were having Darvish helps IMMENSELY!!
I said before the Dodgers just cannot rely on Wood as their number 2 for the playoffs, and apparently they agreed..And I said that only because of his history, which is chalked full of injuries, some minor, some serious…
I really hope that Wood is healthy, primed and ready by the time the Playoffs come around…He deserves to top off this excellent season with at least one or two wins in the postseason…
He’s always been one of my favorite pitchers, and it is awesome watching him pitch at such a high level, even if it is with another team besides the Braves…As has been the case with Wood though, it is just going to come down to his health, on how his season comes to an end…
After all that Wood has been through, throughout the course of his fairly short career, he truly deserves to be healthy and to personally experience and achieve some postseason success…And since he couldn’t do it with the Braves, at least he can still get his chance with the Dodgers…
We never know for sure with the Dodgers. Every starter on the roster has been on the 10-day at least once, sometimes for seemingly phantom injuries. They are taking full advantage of that new DL.
In any case Wood is not #2 in the Dodgers’ rotation now, that would be Darvish. It’s between Wood and Hill for #3, and between Maeda and Ryu for #5. Since neither of the latter two are likely to be needed as starters in the playoffs, Maeda should be a long man out of the pen and Ryu used for LH relief.
I believe Wood is injured, he has had SC joint inflammation before and his velocity has been down. I hope they let him fully heal, even if it takes missing more than 2 starts. I have never had SC joint pain but I’ve had shin splints (I realize it’s a completely different injury) and I know that taking a week off didn’t do much for that, they came right back as soon as I started running.
Ugh, terrible timing for the Gallo injury! He was on fire lately.
Sure is nice to have this big lead now, with the first three ace starting pitchers on the DL
Off topic here, just looking for opinions….
I am in favour of keeping up with the times.
Would the near future see computerized strike zone calls ?
I can think of many reasons to do away with umpires calling balls and strikes, as I am sure many fans could.
Any opinions, info on this?
Just asking since Buc Martinez said he would like to see pitch cast gone, and I certainly don’t agree!
Wood and Bellinger go on the dl just to get their other players they don’t need some playing time. Dodgers really know how to play the system.
Wood, maybe. Bellinger was reported to still have a swollen ankle from the wobbly dance he did in the OF over the weekend.
I was being half sarcastic. They seemingly have had this happen all year. They can probably put the whole starting lineup on the dl and still have a good lineup.