LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ gamble on Corey Knebel looked like a good one — until Friday night.
Knebel suffered a strained lat muscle in his right shoulder that will sideline him for most if not all of the season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said there is no tear and surgery is not planned. But Knebel will be out indefinitely.
“There was an MRI. I don’t know the grade (strain),” Roberts said Saturday. “I do know that he’s going to go on the IL. It’s going to be a few months looking out. I don’t want to be specific to the timeline because I just really don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows.
“But our expectation is that he will pitch again for us this year.”
Knebel is the latest in a long line of players the Dodgers have had to place on the Injured List — Cody Bellinger (fractured fibula), Gavin Lux (right wrist soreness), Zach McKinstry (oblique strain), Tony Gonsolin (shoulder inflammation) and Joe Kelly (undisclosed). Only Lux is expected back in the immediate future.
In addition, Chris Taylor remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness though Roberts said he expects him to play Sunday. And right-hander Dennis Santana was not feeling well after receiving a vaccination. He was also placed on the IL Saturday. The Dodgers promoted outfielder Matt Beaty and left-hander Garrett Cleavinger to replace Knebel and Santana on the roster.
“We have a lot of capable guys,” Roberts said of Knebel’s subtraction from the bullpen. “Scott Alexander is going to continue to get those opportunities. Brusdar (Graterol) is going to continue to get those opportunities. And everybody around him.
“So, I still love our bullpen. I still like our arms. I just feel really bad for Corey because it was such a long road for him to get back and he was throwing the heck out of the baseball. So to kind of have a speed bump in the middle of the season, I know he’s a little disappointed. But I expect him to come back at some point in time this year. Guys have got to step up.”
An All-Star closer with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, Knebel underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2019 season then pitched poorly in his return last season. The Brewers were not planning to tender Knebel a contract offer last December and instead traded him to the Dodgers for a minor-leaguer.
It looked like a steal when Knebel, 29, pitched well in spring training and dominated hitters in his first six appearances this season. He didn’t allow a hit to the first 17 batters he faced. But last Friday in San Diego he had a bad outing, blowing a lead in the eighth inning when he allowed three hits and a walk to the six batters he faced.Knebel didn’t pitch again until this Friday at home against the Padres. He walked the only batter he faced on five pitches with trainers coming to the mound after an errant final pitch.
“I didn’t even want to go out to the mound to see what was wrong,” said Austin Barnes who was catching at the time. “The pitch was weird obviously. He yanked a fastball. But I picked it up and the trainers are going out there. He’s such a great guy and he’s throwing the ball so well.”
Roberts said the Dodgers’ bullpen could add Kelly at some point next month. Kelly has been out with shoulder inflammation since early in spring training but has been throwing at the alternate training site and could be ready to pitch for the Dodgers “sometime in early to mid May is our hope,” Roberts said.
INJURY UPDATES
Roberts said Lux took at-bats at the alternate training site Friday and was scheduled to do the same on Saturday. Depending on how he feels after those games, he could play in Arizona again on Sunday or travel to Los Angeles.
“If all goes well, I expect him in the lineup on Monday,” Roberts said.
Gonsolin has been on the IL with a sore shoulder since the start of the season but he has begun a throwing program at the alternate training site. Roberts said Gonsolin had been long tossing but has not been cleared to throw off a mound yet.
McKinstry will take longer than the 10-day minimum on the IL to recover from his oblique injury, Roberts said.
SPOT START
The Dodgers are in the early stages of a 14-day stretch with games before their next off day on May 6. Roberts said there is a strong possibility of someone making a spot start in order to keep the five starters rested. Left-hander David Price would be the most obvious candidate. Price has pitched 8 2/3 innings over six relief appearances.
“Yeah, we’re talking about it,” Roberts said. “I don’t see it happening in this next series. But after we get through this series and the Reds series, we’re gonna have those ongoing talks and see how guys are feeling. But it’s a fair question and I can see that happening.”
UP NEXT
Padres (RHP Joe Musgrove, 2-2, 1.04 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Dustin May, 1-1, 2.93 ERA) Sunday 4 p.m., ESPN, 570 AM
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