The right-hander spoke to reporters in his first public comments since going on the disabled list with a torn rotator cuff. Yoshinobu Yamamoto Reporters ( Alden Gonzalez of ESPN) said yesterday that he was playing catch in preparation for returning to the mound. He said his “goal” is to pitch again this year and that he’s trying to return as soon as possible. Yamamoto did not specify a specific timeline for his return, but Gonzalez said the Dodgers “expect” their star rookie to be back on the mound in late August or early September.
At the time Yamamoto’s injury, manager Dave Roberts indicated it wasn’t expected to be season-ending, so it’s not necessarily a surprise that the 25-year-old wants to pitch again this year. That said, the optimism regarding Yamamoto’s status is surely welcomed by Los Angeles fans, given the number of injuries to the rotation in recent weeks. Entering the All-Star break, the team was relying on a rotation of a mix of veteran lefties and righties. James Paxton And newcomers Gavin Stone, Landon Knackand Justin WroblewskiBoth Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw Be expected Join the mix Later this week, Stone and Paxton will provide the team with a solid front four, but Yamamoto Walker Buehler He will return from injured reserve unless a trade is made in the days leading up to the deadline.
Aside from the Dodgers’ current starting rotation needs, Yamamoto’s return later in the season would give the team a huge boost heading into the postseason. After all, the $325 million right-hander is considered the best pitcher available this winter despite his lack of MLB experience, and he showed glimpses of his potential in his 14 starts for the Dodgers before his injury. In 76 innings pitched this year, Yamamoto boasts an excellent 2.92 ERA (137 ERA+) and an even better 2.68 FIP, which is due to an impressive 27.9% strikeout rate and only 5.6% walk rate.
The club received good news about Yamamoto this weekend but was also left with concerns over an injury to the veteran shortstop. Miguel Rojas He missed today’s game due to a strained right forearm. Fortunately, Rojas told reporters after the game: Athletic’s Fabian Aldaya(R-LA) said he doesn’t think the injury, which he suffered while taking batting practice during the All-Star break, is particularly serious. Roberts echoed that sentiment, telling reporters (including Aldaya) that the club doesn’t currently plan to send Rojas for an MRI, but that Rojas won’t play tomorrow and could ultimately miss a few days due to the injury.
Losing Rojas would have been a blow to the Dodgers, but it’s a somewhat surprising reality considering his disappointing season in 2023. This year, Rojas is hitting a respectable .272/.317/.408 in 206 plate appearances with the team, giving him a wRC+ that’s 6% better than league average. He’s combined solid work at the plate with strong defense, first as a second baseman and then sliding to shortstop, making him a standout player. Mookie Betts Kiké Hernández took over at shortstop after Rojas was sidelined last month with a broken wrist and is expected to continue playing in that position in Rojas’ absence. Gavin Lux.
Even more good injury news for Dodgers fans comes from Triple-A Oklahoma City. OKC announcer Alex Friedman)right handed Brusdal Graterol and Michael Grove Both pitchers will begin rehab assignments tonight. Both right-handers struck out one batter in one inning of work tonight, Grove pitched a walk to keep the score at zero, and Graterol allowed one hit and one earned run in one inning of work. Having both right-handers reach the highest level of rehab in the minor leagues is an exciting development for the Dodgers, as it suggests they could soon be joining a relief corps that has struggled in recent days with a 5.51 ERA and 5.23 FIP since the start of July.
Graterol hasn’t played a major league game this year due to shoulder inflammation, but he has been one of the team’s most reliable relievers in recent years, posting a 2.08 ERA and 3.00 FIP in 117 innings since the start of the 2022 season. Meanwhile, Grove had mixed results before going down with a torn latissimus dorsi earlier this year. The right-hander’s 5.06 ERA is unsatisfying, but some of his lackluster run prevention could be down to an unfortunate sequence, as evidenced by excellent peripheral metrics such as an unusually low 62.5% strikeout rate, a 3.16 FIP, a strong 28.7% strikeout rate, and an impressive 2.94 SIERA. Both pitchers could return by the end of this month if their respective rehabs go smoothly, and when they’re ready, they should be welcome additions to the team’s relief corps.
