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Tuesday night’s nearly two-hour rain delay forced the Dodgers to go into scrambling mode a day earlier than expected.
The Dodgers used six relievers to cover the final 5 innings of the series opener over the Phillies, only two of which were on the opening day roster. Two relievers used on Tuesday – Justin Bruihl and Conner Greene – weren’t even on the 40-man roster on Saturday.
That’s what’s happening with an injured roster that’s currently home to nine Dodgers pitchers, including six relievers. That doesn’t even count Jimmy Nelson, who was active last week but is out for the season, having had Tommy John surgery and flexor tendon repair today in Los Angeles.
“It’s just crazy talking about the guys who are on our roster’s injured list,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “But it’s a great opportunity for the guys, and the guys are stepping in.”
There will be more guys coming in later this week, probably as early as Wednesday.
David Price is entering Game 2 of the series, having gone over 4 innings twice in his five starts since joining the rotation on a regular starter schedule. Mitch White, who was stretching in Oklahoma City and pitched five innings last Thursday in Triple-A, will be called upon to pitch loose innings Thursday, whether he is starting or calling a first game.
The Dodgers have added at least one reliever to the roster in each of the last three games and expect that turnover to continue, with a 13-game streak in 13 days and 22 games in 23 days.
It sounds like the Dodgers’ July 1-8 road trip to Washington DC and Miami, when they called up seven different relief pitchers in the middle of a week when the rotation lost Trevor Bauer on administrative leave and Clayton Kershaw. on the injured list. The Dodgers starters are now in a similar disarray, with Price instead of replacing the temporary sixth starter being the essential fourth starter, and no fifth starter is likely to arrive until September, with Kershaw, Danny Duffy and Cole Hamels nowhere near. Tony Gonsolin could in theory come back sooner than that, but he’s averaged three and a half innings per outing this year.
In other words, expect a lot of relief use over the next couple of weeks.
Of those seven relievers added to the active list during the road trip July 1-8, only one – Brusdar Graterol – is currently active. That’s the kind of turnover the Dodgers are faced with.
Release note
The show’s mid-game will also be televised by ESPN, although that broadcast will be halted in the Los Angeles TV market. Karl Ravech will call the game for ESPN, along with analysts Eduardo Perez and Tim Kurkjian.
Game Info
Teams: Dodgers (68-45) to Phillies (59-54)
Location: Citizens Bank Park
Time: 4:05 p.m. PST
TV: SportsNet LA, ESPN (non-market)
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