LOS ANGELES – Two days before the start of a four-game series at Pittsburgh and a seven-game road trip that also includes a stop in Milwaukee, the Los Angeles Dodgers still do not know which of their pitchers will kick off the proceedings.
The Dodgers have a rotation vacancy for Friday after Mike Bolsinger was optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City this past weekend following his struggles in his most recent outing Saturday.
Manager Dave Roberts said it's possible a pitcher could be called up from the minor leagues for Friday’s game, although the team’s off day Thursday could help the cause. The Dodgers could put off adding a starter and just use everybody on regular rest, starting with Kenta Maeda on Friday. In that scenario, the Dodgers would not need an extra starter until Tuesday to open a three-game series at Milwaukee.
The club’s reticence to announce a plan, though, could mean they are doing a little outside-the-box thinking about the situation. The Dodgers are carrying eight relievers, and could be considering a bullpen day to absorb one of the games on the road trip.
One scenario could go like this: Maeda starts on Friday at Pittsburgh and, if he gives the team some length and thus gives most of the bullpen the game off in conjunction with Thursday’s off day, then the bullpen tackles nine innings Saturday. The likely candidate to start for the Dodgers on a bullpen day would be right-hander Chris Hatcher.
The reason that Saturday would be best for a bullpen day is because Clayton Kershaw would then start on Sunday and he typically requires limited work from the bullpen to back up his outings.
That would push the rotation vacancy all the way back to June 30 for the road trip finale at Milwaukee. Scott Kazmir would pitch Monday, Julio Urias would pitch Tuesday and Maeda would pitch again on regular rest June 29 before a fifth starter would be needed.
By delaying the need to add a starter, the Dodgers could have more options available. Not only would Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu be further along on their minor league rehab assignments, and possibly be ready to join the fray, but Ross Stripling could be ready to return as well.
Stripling, who is taking a break to slow his rising innings total, is currently building himself back up into a starter with sideline sessions in Arizona, and might be ready to make a return to the rotation by June 30.
The Dodgers might not have been ready to reveal their plan Wednesday, but time is running out before they have to commit to some kind of a direction.
“We’re still kind of talking through it,” Roberts said this week. “We’re going to get through this series [against the Washington Nationals] and then figure what we’re going to do for that Pittsburgh series.”
