This weekend was a tough one for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They suffered several losses, with key players getting hurt and placed on the injured list. Star shortstop Mookie Betts broke his hand when he was hit by a pitch on Sunday afternoon.
He is going to see a specialist on Monday for what is likely a multi-week recovery. Joining him on the injured list is rookie pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto is dealing with a strained rotator cuff, which will always make a team nervous.
But, early tests have shown that there is no tear, which is an encouraging sign. Originally, the injury was described as tightness in his triceps before the strain was seen. As a result, he was placed on the 15-day IL before Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
“It’s just going to take time and rest. It’s not season-ending,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Yamamoto will be shut down for a few weeks, which is a major blow to the team’s pitching staff.
During the MLB offseason, Yamamoto signed a record-setting 12-year, $325 million contract after departing his native Japan. He has not disappointed, going 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 starts.
After some struggles very early on with giving up home runs, Yamamoto has settled in very nicely. He has surrendered only six long balls on the season and 25 runs, 24 of which are earned, in 74 innings. His control has been immaculate, as he has issued only 17 walks with 84 strikeouts.
There is some concern that he could just be dealing with fatigue. Before his start on Saturday, which was pushed back from Thursday, he was feeling good. But, he had thrown 100+ pitches in four straight starts.
120+ pitch outings was a regular thing in Japan for Yamamoto, but the heavier workload over the last few weeks could have certainly contributed to the soreness. But, for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his being healthy in October is what matters most.
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