ATLANTA -- The Dodgers officially placed right-hander Roki Sasaki on the 15-day injured list prior to Thursday’s series finale against the Braves due to a blister on his right middle finger. The club also recalled righty reliever Seth Halvorsen from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding roster move.
Sasaki flew back to Los Angeles on Thursday morning to undergo further evaluation and begin treatment, leaving his return timeline fluid ahead of a weekend set against the Tigers at Comerica Park.
The 24-year-old exited Wednesday night's start in the fourth inning after allowing four runs over 3 1/3 innings as the blister ripped open. Sasaki is 5-5 with a 4.60 ERA on the season, though he had been on a strong run, going 2-0 with a 3.05 ERA across seven starts since the All-Star break.
Speaking pregame Thursday at Truist Park, manager Dave Roberts noted that while the team hopes the 15-day minimum will be enough time for the skin to heal, Sasaki’s role upon returning will depend on the duration of his absence and the state of the pitching staff.
"That, I think, is truly to say," Roberts said of whether two weeks will be sufficient to get Sasaki back into the rotation. "I would hope so, but not sure. I think that's more contingent on when he comes back. If it's the short end, yes. If it's a long run, then I think it's a different discussion."
Roberts emphasized that Sasaki's return will carry significant value down the stretch -- whether as a traditional starter or as a starter inserted to provide extra rest for other members of the rotation.
"There's certainly value in that," Roberts said of keeping Sasaki in the rotation. "I don't know the schedule in two weeks with off-days and all that stuff, and where starters are going to be with off-days and things like that -- with having him inserted to give other guys blows. So that's a hard one right now."
The Dodgers added depth to their bullpen by recalling Halvorsen. The 26-year-old made his debut for them on Aug. 11, tossing a scoreless extra inning against the Royals to earn the win. Across 76 career Major League appearances between Colorado and Los Angeles, Halvorsen is 4-4 with a 4.25 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 72 innings.
With Sasaki sidelined, left-hander Eric Lauer is expected to step into the starting rotation.