Sunday, June 16, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched on Saturday night and left after two innings with right triceps tightness. Since he has inflammation around the right triceps, the Los Angeles Dodgers put their prized rookie on the IL.
After his last start against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto experienced soreness in the right triceps area. He was fabulous against the Yankees, including having his velocity increased. While the Dodgers didn’t publicize Yamamoto’s increased soreness, they did push his start back with Yamamoto’s agent in agreement. They hoped extra rest would prevent an IL trip, but it didn’t.
In Japan, Yamamoto was durable even though he is a small man. He has developed a unique workout routine to avoid injury.
The Dodgers relied on Yamamoto to be their second starter in the rotation. If the Dodgers forget Yamamoto’s first start in the major leagues against the San Diego Padres in South Korea, he has been better than advertised. He has shown he can pitch on the biggest stage well. If he can return quickly, he should win the National League Rookie of the Year.
While the Dodgers were looking forward to having a six-man rotation, they will manage without Yamamoto even though they are starting a four-game series in Colorado on Monday. Colorado eats pitchers.
On Wednesday, Bobby Miller will return to the rotation for the first time since April. He has been out with right shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers went slowly with their 25-year-old prized prospect because they didn’t want him to be forced to have surgery.
This week, ahead of schedule, Clayton Kershaw will start a rehabilitation assignment after his first arm surgery during his 16-year major league career. If everything goes well, Kershaw should return to the starting rotation. Unlike Walker Buehler, Kershaw hasn’t missed a season or more, so he should have his command. He has reinvented himself several times during his career.
Tyler Glasnow, the ace of the starting rotation, has struggled in the month of June, but he has taken the ball every time the Dodgers asked him to. Glasnow hopes to set a career-high in innings and starts.
James Paxton has shown he can win without his best stuff. For the first time in his career, he has struggled with his control, but in his last start against the Texas Rangers, he performed better than in his two starts.
Walker Buehler has toiled much since returning from an almost two-year absence. Before his second Tommy John surgery, he hadn’t needed to adjust his pitch repertoire to get a major leaguer out. Now, he can’t rely on his four-seam fastball since it doesn’t have any movement. He hasn’t had a good command of any pitch.
If the Dodgers need to promote a starter, they have both Kyle Hurt and Landon Knack. Both have shown an ability to succeed in the major leagues.
On Sunday, the Dodgers also put Michael Grove with a sore lat on the IL. The Dodgers brought up. J.P. Feyereisen, who had a great stint in his previous time with the Dodgers.
