LOS ANGELES -- With Alex Wood on the 10-day disabled list, Thomas Stripling will replace Wood in the rotation and start on Saturday against the Brewers.
Wood went on the DL Tuesday with inflammation of the sternoclavicular joint following a start against the Pirates that saw his fastball velocity take a dip. Wood's injury put the Dodgers in a bind, forcing the team to hold off naming a starter for Saturday until after its series with the Bucs ended Thursday.
Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday will be a bullpen game and Stripling, aka "Chicken Strip" for Players Weekend, said four innings and 55 pitches would be his ceiling. Stripling, who will be making his first start for the Dodgers this season, has mainly been used in long-relief situations, going 3-4 with a 3.41 ERA over 35 appearances. He did, however, start 14 games last season.
"You want to go out there and give three or four innings," Stripling said, "and give the bullpen as much rest as you're able to because bullpen's don't enjoy bullpen games. Guys are expected to go longer than they're used to, or are put into a different than they're used to."
Dayton to have season-ending surgery
Grant Dayton, who has been out since July 24, will have Tommy John surgery on Tuesday.
"I felt like I had an up and down year anyway," Dayton said. "I was hoping to be able to redeem myself in September and hopefully be on a playoff roster, but those dreams came to an end."
Dayton, who was on the DL with neck stiffness, felt his elbow pop after he threw a fastball before entering his rehab game with Double-A Tulsa last Friday. The lefty said he has a full tear in the UCL but hopes to pitch sometime next season. The recovery process for Tommy John surgery usually takes 12-18 months, but Dayton said after talking with teammates Brandon McCarthy and Stripling, who both have had the procedure, Dayton feels a little bit more comfortable about the recovery process.
"They're not only happy with results," Dayton said. "But they both came back 100 percent. I know it's a long road to recovery, but at the time the recovery is usually 100 percent and you're 100 percent and you're all the way back. I can't say I'm worried about recovering."
Worth noting
• Cody Bellinger, who landed on the DL Sunday, took batting practice on Friday and said his injured ankle is no longer swollen. Bellinger also ran about 90 feet, doing a few side shuffles and said he felt about 80 percent.
• McCarthy will have another rehab game next Wednesday or Thursday. McCarthy is slated to start for Class A Rancho Cucamonga Friday night.