Injuries & Moves: Grove activated; Stone optioned
LATEST NEWS
Sept. 23: RHP Michael Grove activated from 15-day IL; RHP Gavin Stone optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City
Grove returns to the Dodgers after landing on the IL with right lat tightness on Aug. 6. The right-hander, who's made 12 starts and three relief appearances for Los Angeles this season, is currently stretched out to handle two innings. According to manager Dave Roberts, Grove is "going to be given every opportunity" to factor into the Dodgers' postseason pitching plans.
Stone pitched 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in Saturday night's loss to the Giants, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five.
INJURY UPDATES
10-day and 15-day IL
RHP Yency Almonte (right knee sprain)
Expected return: Potentially the NLCS
Almonte threw a 23-pitch simulated game on Sept. 22, and he's scheduled to throw another in the coming week. Manager Dave Roberts said that the best-case scenario for Almonte would be activation for the National League Championship Series, should the Dodgers make it there. (Last updated: Sept. 22)
RHP Tyler Cyr (right shoulder impingement)
Expected return: TBD
Cyr made two appearances with the Dodgers, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings in his first stint with the organization. It’s unclear when Cyr sustained the injury and how long he’ll be sidelined. (Last updated: May 23)
60-day IL
RHP Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Five days after his first game action since June, 10, 2022, the Dodgers and Buehler announced he will not return this season.
Buehler threw two perfect innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sept. 3, his first game action since June 10, 2022. He had two strikeouts against Round Rock and threw 24 pitches.
"It checked a lot of the boxes that I wanted to," said Buehler on Sept. 13. "I think we talked about Sept. 1 and all that stuff, and in a lot of ways I got to compete and go out and did it pretty quickly. I'm pretty proud of that. But at the end of the day, I just kind of wasn't recovering the way that I would need to do to make an impact here and also an impact that's worth any of the risk that would be coming back. I talked to everyone involved -- my agents, the organization, my family -- and [we decided it's] just kind of the right thing to do. So, obviously disappointing for me, but we've still got a really good team here and I'm excited to watch them the rest of the year." (Last updated: Sept. 13)
RHP Gus Varland (right knee inflammation)
Expected return: 2024
Varland was placed on the injured list on Sept. 10 with right knee inflammation. The right-hander pitched on Sept. 9 and picked up the loss. It’s unclear when Varland sustained the injury. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Sept. 12, ending his season. (Last updated: Sept. 12)
RHP Blake Treinen (right shoulder)
Expected return: Unlikely in 2023
Treinen made his second appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City and it went “okay,” according to manager Dave Roberts. The right-hander won’t pitch again in the near future, though, as Roberts said Treinen is now “day to day” because of some post-outing soreness in his right shoulder. It was always unlikely that Treinen would return this season, but now it’s almost a certainty that he won’t be available until the 2024 season. (Last updated: Aug. 31)
RHP Tony Gonsolin (Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Gonsolin will have Tommy John surgery on Sept. 1, performed by team doctor Neal ElAttrache. He was placed on the injured list Aug. 19 with what was diagnosed as right forearm inflammation. Gonsolin also was placed on the injured list late last season with a right forearm strain. He started this season on the IL with a left ankle sprain and was 8-5 with a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts. He had been dealing with arm soreness for an extended period before he went on the IL. (Last updated: Aug. 28)
OF Jake Marisnick (left hamstring strain)
Expected return: TBD
Marisnick left the game on July 18 after he said he felt a pinch on his left hamstring, and an MRI on July 19 revealed enough damage to land him on the injured list. It’s a big blow for Marisnick, who was trying to get an extended look from the Dodgers after signing on July 14. The outfielder was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 15. (Last updated: Aug. 15)
SS Gavin Lux (torn right ACL)
Expected return: 2024
Lux underwent successful surgery on March 7 to repair a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee. The Dodgers shortstop will miss the 2023 season, but he's expected back by Spring Training in '24. He joined the club for its weekend series against the Rangers in Arlington from July 21-23 -- Globe Life Field is near Lux’s family, and he came to the ballpark to continue his rehab work, which included light drills on the field.
“He’s doing well,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I just felt that with Gavin, it’s a long road for him to be back, and so to get him with his teammates, I thought was important. Typically, we don’t travel with guys on the IL, but I think in this particular case, just to get Gavin here on the back end of the road trip, to see his teammates, I think it’s a nice little shot in the arm.” (Last updated: July 22)
RHP Daniel Hudson (right MCL strain)
Expected return: TBD
Hudson sustained the sprain on the second-to-last pitch of his save against the Pirates on July 5 and landed on the IL the next day. The club is hopeful that Hudson will pitch again this season, but he's going to be out for "quite some time," according to manager Dave Roberts.
It's a tough break for Hudson, who underwent season-ending surgery on his left ACL last year and had returned to Major League action just six days before going back on the IL. As of now, surgery is not on the table for Hudson. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 12. (Last updated: July 12)
RHP Jimmy Nelson (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: TBD
Manager Dave Roberts said on July 6 that Nelson was still working on "getting the stuff where it needs to be to be Major League-ready and serviceable." Since June 20, the right-hander has been rehabbing with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he's allowed two earned runs in five innings across five appearances. (Last updated: July 6)
RHP Dustin May (right flexor tendon surgery)
Expected return: 2024
After six weeks without picking up a baseball, recent scans revealed that May needs to undergo right elbow surgery to repair his flexor tendon. The surgery will take place on July 18 and will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
There’s no firm timetable for May’s return, but a second major elbow surgery in the last three seasons effectively ends May’s season and puts some of his ‘24 in doubt. (Last updated: July 4)
RHP Alex Reyes (frayed labrum in right shoulder)
Expected return: 2024
Reyes, who signed a one-year deal with a club option in early February, underwent another right shoulder surgery and will be out for the remainder of the 2023 season. (Last updated: June 23)
RHP J.P. Feyereisen (right shoulder surgery)
Expected return: Likely 2024
Feyereisen, who was acquired from the Rays on Dec. 14, underwent right shoulder surgery this offseason in a procedure that was described as a “general cleanup of the rotator cuff and labrum.” (Last updated: Feb. 16)