With Teoscar Hernández returning from the injured list on Monday, the Dodgers now have a completely healthy group of position players. However, the pitching staff remains a work in progress.
Three key starters from Opening Day — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki — are all dealing with shoulder issues. In the bullpen, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, and Kirby Yates have also gone down. Several other pitchers started the season on the injured list, still rehabbing from major surgeries.
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“It doesn’t feel like last year, and we’re only in May, so I’m not going to jinx anything by making comparisons,” said Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations. “Most of the injuries this year are shorter term, unlike last year’s, which often led to surgeries. Maybe we’re being extra cautious now to avoid bigger issues down the line.
“But I’ve said this before — and anyone who doesn’t admit it isn’t being truthful — there’s a lot we still don’t fully understand about injuries. We’re always trying to learn and improve, knowing that we’ll make mistakes along the way. This is the number one thing that keeps me up at night.”
As of Monday, Dodgers pitchers had a combined ERA of 4.18, ranking 21st in MLB. The bullpen has thrown a league-leading 200 2/3 innings, while the starting rotation has logged just 215 1/3 innings — tied for the fewest with Miami.
Injuries aren’t the only reason behind these stats, but they’ve definitely contributed.
After a rash of pitching injuries in recent seasons, the Dodgers re-evaluated their approach this past offseason. While specific details haven’t been released, one major insight was that injury prevention strategies need to be more individualized.
That includes understanding a pitcher’s history — how they’ve been used in the past and how that changes with their current role. Adjusting from a starter to a reliever, for instance, requires physical adaptation to a new rhythm and workload.
The team also recognizes that pitching injuries are a league-wide issue, not just a Dodgers problem.
“You have to be at your best almost every pitch,” said pitching coach Mark Prior last month. “There’s a kind of stress that we probably haven’t figured out how to measure yet. I’ve been around the game over two decades, and injuries are still a major part of it. I wish they weren’t, but it’s just the reality.”
There’s some hope, as Snell, Glasnow, and Treinen have all started throwing again, though they each face a long road before returning to game action.
Manager Dave Roberts emphasized patience with the team’s injured pitchers: “Right now, with most of these guys, the priority is making sure their return is right — no rushing. We want them back strong for the final third of the season.”
As the Dodgers wait for reinforcements, they’ll lean on their depth, just like they did during last year’s championship run.
“It feels like a never-ending game of Whac-A-Mole,” Friedman said. “We’re doing our best to manage each challenge and keep the team in a position to win. It also opens doors for others to step up.
“And when it comes to pitching depth, you can never really have ‘enough.’ More is always better.”
Want me to cut it down more or reword it in a different tone (like more casual or formal)