LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have set their starting rotation for the final month of the season and Alex Wood won’t be in it.
Wood made just one start, in the first series of the season, before going on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The Dodgers activated him from the IL on Tuesday but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wood will pitch out of the bullpen now.
At the same time, Justin Turner was placed on the IL with the hamstring injury he suffered during Friday’s game. Edwin Rios was activated from the IL and started at third base Tuesday. The decision was made after Turner tested his injured hamstring in a workout Tuesday afternoon. He will be eligible to return Tuesday, Sept. 8.
“If we can see out with the training staff and Justin to feel that it’s a couple days and we can get him back in there, then that’s a different conversation,” Roberts said before Turner’s workout. “But if we don’t feel that way, then it’s a sort of a no-brainer to be responsible, take care of him and get him ready when he’s 100 percent ready to go.”
Wood moves into a long relief role similar to the one Ross Stripling has filled in the past. Stripling was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Wood has pitched as much as four innings in simulated games while working back from the shoulder injury that robbed him of velocity during his one start this season.
“You look at his arm and not feeling great and you’re looking at how much time we do have to build up to the six (innings) and 90 (pitches), that number would be hard to get to,” Roberts said. “In talking to Alex, just understanding the roster and his upside to potentially help us on the active roster was going to be in the bullpen. He totally got it and he’s all on board.”
Wood made just seven starts with the Cincinnati Reds last season due to a back injury. He signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Dodgers with assurances that he would be used as a starter in 2020.
Roberts said Walker Buehler will be activated from the IL on Wednesday and start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Buehler missed one start with a blister on his right index finger. He will join Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Julio Urias and Tony Gonsolin to fill out the Dodgers’ starting rotation for now.
PLAYER TO BE NAMED
One of the two players coming back to the Dodgers in the trade that sent Stripling to the Blue Jays was identified Tuesday — right-hander Kendall Williams.
Williams, 20, was the Blue Jays’ second-round draft pick (52nd overall) out of IMG Academy in Florida last year. The 6-foot-6 Williams was limited to 16 innings in rookie ball last summer but had a 1.13 ERA while striking out 19 and allowing just six hits.
Williams was added to the Dodgers’ 60-man player pool and will begin working out at the alternate training site.
PRICE STATUS
Miami Marlins infielder Isan Diaz became the second MLB player allowed to return after originally opting out of the 2020 season. Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis reversed his decision shortly after the season started.
MLB and the players’ union had to agree on reinstating Diaz this week. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said there has been no discussion with David Price about any potential interest in returning. Price opted out shortly after the preseason workouts began in early July.
“I’ve talked to him a decent amount and texted during games. We have not discussed that,” Friedman said. “But he is definitely very locked in on Dodger baseball, that’s for sure.”
Friedman said he did not know if Price had continued any kind of a throwing program over the past two months.
“When he made the decision, we talked about it and I told him there’s no downside in doing that. He totally agreed,” Friedman said. “I don’t know (if he has). We’ve talked about our games and our players and some of his observations, but that has not come up.”
Roberts said he has also been in touch with Price but the veteran pitcher has never given any indication that he would reverse his decision.
“I’ve had different text threads and messages with David and nothing like that came up,” Roberts said. “Certainly that’s his decision. But I really, truthfully don’t know where he’s at as far as where his arm is at.
“That’s his decision and if he ever makes that decision then obviously that would be a conversation.”
SLAM DIEGO
Trailing the Dodgers by 4 1/2 games in the NL West with the second-best record in the National League, the San Diego Padres were the most active team in baseball at the trade deadline Monday. They added Mike Clevinger to their rotation, remade their catching by adding Austin Nola and Jason Castro, bulked up their offense with Mitch Moreland and reinforced their bullpen with the addition of Trevor Rosenthal.
“They are a very formidable team,” Friedman said. “We knew and expected that AJ (Preller, Padres GM) would be aggressive and we look forward to playing them in September and who knows maybe in October as well.”
Beginning Tuesday, the Dodgers will play 16 of their next 18 games against NL West teams. As it stands now with the expanded postseason field, the Dodgers and Padres could square off in the second round.
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen took the aggressive moves of the Padres as a compliment.
“At the end of the day (we will) just see where the chips lie because this team is really dang good,” Treinen said. “I know the Rockies and Padres added some pieces that make them a lot better as well. It just shows that we’re a good enough team that they’re adding pieces to try and run us down. I’ll take our chances any day.”
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Dodgers put Justin Turner on injured list, activate Alex Wood for bullpen role - OCRegister
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