Reliever Rodriguez out at least 2 more months
Lefty had hoped to return from DL this weekend, but will have elbow surgery
MIAMI -- Despite completing a rehab stint on Tuesday, Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez will not rejoin the big league club. Instead, he will have arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow next Thursday, a procedure that typically comes with an 8-to-10-week recovery time.
"Disappointing for us and for him, obviously," manager Don Mattingly said prior to Saturday's game against the Marlins.
Rodriguez has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 30 with a left elbow strain. During his rehab stint, the lefty pitched two games at Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and two games at Triple-A Las Vegas. While he allowed three hits and struck out six in four scoreless innings, Rodriguez felt discomfort in his left elbow following Tuesday's outing and was re-examined Thursday in L.A.
He then opted for the recommended surgery -- ending the original plan of him rejoining the team in Miami.
"He actually threw the ball, success-wise, in his rehab really well," Mattingly said. "But it sounded like, just having the conversation with [vice president, medical services] Stan [Conte], it was back to those same feelings of not being able to let it go, which led him to kind of just being honest with Stan about how he's feeling."
Prior to going on the DL, Rodriguez was 0-0 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 innings this season.