LOS ANGELES — Dustin May has not done a good job of dodging baseballs at Chase Field. But he has apparently done a good job of avoiding damage.
A CT scan on May’s left foot Friday revealed no fracture and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it the “best-case scenario” with the young right-hander suffering only a contusion when he was hit by a one-hop comebacker during his start Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
A year ago in another game at Chase Field, May was hit in the head by a line drive. He pitched in relief six days later and turned in 10 scoreless innings over eight relief appearances following the game in Arizona.
“I just keep going back to I’m a ball magnet in Arizona on that field,” May said Saturday. “I don’t know. I haven’t had a clean inning there. It was weird, for sure.
“They’re freak accidents. It’s just baseball. It’s not like people are aiming to hit it at me. It’s just the way the cookie crumbled for me in my starts in Arizona.”
When May left his start after just one inning, it looked like the Dodgers’ starting rotation was crumbling. Walker Buehler lasted just 2 2/3 innings in his start Tuesday and is on the Injured List for the second time with a blister on his right index finger.
Whether May needs to go to the IL or miss a start remains to be seen, but he discarded a walking boot after getting the results of Friday’s CT scan and was throwing on flat ground in the outfield before Saturday’s game.
“So now it’s more kind of seeing where he’s at today as he’s getting treatment, moving around and tomorrow as well,” Roberts said. “It’s sort of a day-to-day thing. We’re not going to make any decision as far as when he’s gonna pitch, the IL situation right now. We still have some time before making a decision.
“Now it’s kind of how we can kind of get some of the swelling to subside, alleviate some of that discomfort for Dustin and then at that point it’s per his tolerance.”
Sunday’s starter will come from the Dodgers’ current group of relievers with “a bullpen day” planned, Roberts said. Tony Gonsolin will return to the rotation and start Tuesday in San Diego.
The Dodgers will need a starter Wednesday against the Padres if May is not ready to return to the mound. The earliest Buehler can come off the IL is next Saturday.
The Dodgers would be hesitant to rush May back to the mound if they feel pain in his landing foot might compromise his mechanics and potentially lead to other problems.
“That’s absolutely correct,” Roberts said. “One part of it is per his (pain) tolerance, how he feels, but also you don’t want to compromise the delivery, which would obviously put the arm at risk in some capacity. So making sure he feels like he can repeat his delivery and not compensate – that’s the thing.
“That’s why it’s day to day. We just don’t know until each day he’s playing catch and the flat ground (throwing). We’ll get a little better idea and then potentially see how he is.”
Buehler has continued throwing since his start Tuesday but with the blister on his index finger covered. Roberts said Buehler will throw simulated games while he’s on the IL with the finger covered – something he wouldn’t be allowed to do in an actual game.
“We can still build up the (arm) strength and have him go up and down six, seven times if we want to,” Roberts said of Buehler, who has thrown just 32 2/3 innings in seven starts this season. “I think the plan is for sure to get one or two starts in the season (before the playoffs). But Walker – he’s done it. I’m very confident that if he’s healthy he’ll perform.”
AIR QUALITY
Poor air quality due to the numerous wildfires in California prompted the Dodgers to limit their pregame workout Saturday.
Joe Kelly was scheduled to throw a simulated inning and Roberts said that would happen. Kelly is currently serving a five-game suspension but can still work out with the team.
Justin Turner was scheduled to take live at-bats Saturday but did not. He did take grounders at third base and could return from his hamstring injury at some point during the series in San Diego.
ALSO
Reliever Pedro Baez was activated from the IL and right-hander Dennis Santana was optioned to the alternate training site. Baez had been out since Aug. 19 with a groin muscle injury.
Dodgers get ‘best-case scenario’ results on Dustin May’s foot injury posted first on https://anaheimsignsorangecounty.blogspot.com
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