Los Angeles Dodgers: Pitching Reinforcements Coming?
By Jason Evans
The Los Angeles Dodgers have suffered through a ton of injuries this season, but may be getting closer to getting back two of their starters as the race for the division with the Giants heats up.
The Giants begin a series in LA this coming Tuesday and it’s very possible that Rich Hill will finally make his Los Angeles Dodgers debut during that series. Hill has been plagued by blister issues for weeks, but came out of a rehab appearance in Arizona this past week okay.
"“Everything felt great,” said Hill who joined the Dodgers in Cincinnati on Friday. “The ball came out really good, the velocity maintained, breaking ball was really sharp.”"
Hill hasn’t pitched in a major league game in over a month, and with Bud Norris coming off the DL and being ineffective and Brett Anderson not being able to get through his first two starts since coming off the DL, having Hill back and hopefully eat up innings, would be a huge boost to this Dodger club.
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Another Dodger lefty went one step closer to coming back as well. Clayton Kershaw threw off a mound for the first time on Saturday in his rehab process.
He’ll take the next two days off then throw off a mound again. The Dodgers hope he can be a part of the rotation again sometime next month.
The Dodgers really need Hill and Kershaw to come back and be a part of the rotation. Julio Urias is getting close to his innings limit. Kenta Maeda has never gone through a full season before. Brandon McCarthy is hurt again.
When watching a Dodger game, it seems like there is a constant parade to the mound by Dave Roberts and Rick Honeycutt.
"“If Clayton is back, if Rich is back, Kenta (Maeda) is throwing the ball the way he’s throwing and you get the other guys in the rotation, obviously it sets up well for our club,” Roberts said. “Right now, those guys are working their way back. But the most encouraging thing for me is that we’re not waiting for guys to get back. We’re taking care of the business at hand. That’s been our mindset since Day One. But certainly, when we get those guys back, we’re better for it.”"
Next: Rangers sign Carlos Gomez
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made up a ton of ground thanks to the Giants being so bad after the All-Star break. If they want to avoid that Wild Card game, they need these pitchers to get healthy and stay that way.