Dodgers Injury Update: Will Smith's Return Delayed as Edwin Díaz, Blake Snell, Brock Stewart, and Evan Phillips Make Progress
Dave Roberts provided updates on Will Smith, Edwin Díaz, Blake Snell, Brock Stewart, and Evan Phillips as the Dodgers continue navigating injuries.
LOS ANGELES, CA—Injuries are nothing new for the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and prior to Game One of a three-game interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts updated us on a variety of players, including All-Star catcher Will Smith.
Will Smith Undergoes Neck Injection as Dodgers Await Travel Decision
Yesterday was the earliest possible day for Will Smith to be activated off the 10-day injured list after the team backdated the move to June 8th, despite the backstop missing every game since June 5th.
What was once thought to be a minor neck injury from sleeping on the wrong side of the pillow has now become something more.
While Smith has continued to stay in baseball shape, playing catch and taking batting practice, the All-Star catcher won’t be activated during the final three games of this homestand, and it’s to be determined whether he’ll travel with the team on their upcoming nine-game road trip.
While Dave Roberts stated that Smith is progressing well, he’ll receive a neck injection sometime this weekend to address lingering pain, pushing back any possible activation.
In the meantime, Dalton Rushing and Chuckie Robinson will continue to get the workload behind the plate in Smith’s absence.
Edwin Díaz Reaches Major Recovery Milestone; Blake Snell Not Far Behind
On the pitching front, today was a significant step for closer Edwin Díaz, who threw his first bullpen since undergoing right elbow surgery to remove loose bodies in his pitching elbow in April.
Roberts stated that the bullpen was small, just 15 total pitches, all of which were fastballs with his velocity sitting around 91-93 MPH, all good signs for the right-hander as he eyes a second-half return.
Díaz will continue to build up over the coming week as he looks to rejoin a Dodgers bullpen that has done quite well in his absence, thanks to the turnaround season from left-hander Tanner Scott.
As for two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, he’s not far behind from Díaz in terms of tossing a bullpen as he continues to work his way back from the same injury.
However, unlike Díaz, Snell underwent the new NanoNeedle procedure, as did left-hander Tarik Skubal, who returned less than 40 days after surgery.
While it’s expected to be a bit longer for Snell, he should be able to work his way back faster than Díaz and rejoin the Dodgers starting rotation in late July.
Brock Stewart Closing In as Evan Phillips Targets Early-July Comeback
Continuing with the bullpen, Dave Roberts also confirmed that right-hander Brock Stewart is continuing to progress well as he looks to come back from a bone spur in his left foot.
Stewart was set to throw back-to-back bullpens this week and, if all went well, could rejoin the team on their upcoming road trip without needing a rehab assignment.
With the calendar moving past mid-June, the Dodgers are also expecting the return of veteran right-hander Evan Phillips, who began his minor league rehab assignment earlier this month after missing last season from UCL surgery.
Roberts hinted that the team is eyeing an early-July return for Phillips as he continues to work his way back, and that he would be a major boost to a Dodgers bullpen that is also looking to add Edwin Díaz back around late-July/early-August.