The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered another notable injury on Wednesday, this time with relief pitcher Daniel Hudson hitting the IL.
The NL West is probably the most competitive division in the National League. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a half-game back of first place Arizona. Led by MVP candidate Freddie Freeman and perennial All-Stars like Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw, few teams stack up to the Dodgers on paper.
Unfortunately, the game of baseball isn't played on paper. And, in order to win baseball games, you need to field a competitive nine-man unit. It's hard to do that when half your team is injured.
"Half the team" is mild hyperbole of course, but the Dodgers are the unluckiest team in baseball right now. The injury bug has struck countless times over the last month alone, with RHP Daniel Hudson emerging as the latest victim of the IL.
Daniel Hudson latest in long line of Los Angeles Dodgers injuries
36-year-old reliever Daniel Hudson will head to the 15-day IL after suffering a sprained right MCL on Wednesday.
He has pitched three total innings in three appearances since returning from a torn ACL in late June. This obviously comes as a blow to Hudson and the Dodgers, who were excited to add him back into the fold. Hudson knows how to battle back, so the hope is this is only a minor setback with the All-Star break — and a few free days of rest — on the horizon.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Hudson is only one of many players now situated on the injured reserves list. From ESPN:
- Noah Syndergaad is on the 15-day IL due to blistered fingers. He's about to start a rehab assignment in the minors.
- Yency Almonte, another Dodgers reliever, started paternity leave on Thursday (in this case, congratulations are in order).
- Clayton Kershaw remains on the 15-day IL as he works his way back from a shoulder malady.
- Starting pitcher Dustin May is on the 60-day IL after undergoing surgery to fix the flexor tendon in his right elbow.
- Reliever Shelby Miller is still on the 15-day IL with "more than inflammation" in his neck. (Please note the volume of pitchers currently out of the rotation in LA)
- Shortstop Chris Taylor is out through the All-Star break on the 10-day IL with right knee soreness.
- Walker Buehler, a Dogders starter on the mound, is still on the mend after his second Tommy John surgery.
- RF Andy Pages is out for the season after undergoing surgery on his torn labrum.
- SS Chris Taylor is out until after the All-Star break with a knee injury.
And that's the end of the list… with updates since July 1. The Dodgers have another 12 players listed on the ESPN injury report, many of them out for the season on stuck on the 60-day IL. Los Angeles has simply been unable to field a remotely healthy squad this season.
Thanks to ownership's deep pockets and the natural appeal of playing in sunny Los Angeles, the Dodgers have a deep and talented roster capable of surviving the storm. 49-38 and within striking distance of home-field advantage in the playoffs, the Dodgers should be just fine despite the wave of misfortunate currently pummeling the franchise.
That said, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a few extra arms in the bullpen and a few extra bodies in the dugout. The Dodgers will be hoping their injury luck swings the other way after the All-Star break.
