The Los Angeles Dodgers hold a 21-13 record and lead the National League West by 4.5 games as of this story's writing. LA has performed well despite dealing with a plethora of pitching injuries. Things are beginning to look up for the Dodgers rotation, however.
It was recently revealed that Walker Buehler will make his 2024 season debut on Monday. Buehler has not pitched in a big league game since 2022 after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. LA is excited for his return.
The Dodgers received more encouraging injury updates on Friday. Clayton Kershaw and Bobby Miller reportedly both pitched off a mound Friday, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. Additionally, manager Dave Roberts revealed that reliever Blake Treinen could be activated at some point during the Dodgers' current homestand.
Los Angeles has found ways to win despite all of the injury trouble. Now they are beginning to get healthy. The Dodgers are already dangerous and they will only continue to improve as players re-join the active roster.
It will be intriguing to see how Dave Roberts manages the rotation once Kershaw and Miller return.
Dodgers' deep starting rotation
LA could build an All-Star rotation with pitchers who are currently on the injured list. In addition to Kershaw, Miller, and Buehler, Los Angeles also has Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and Emmet Sheehan on the IL.
Meanwhile, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, James Paxton, and Gavin Stone are all currently healthy and playing a role in the starting rotation.
The rotation may be thin at the moment. Once pitchers return from injury, though, Roberts will have some difficult decisions to make.
Most MLB teams feature five-man rotations. There is no rule that says ball clubs must implement a five-man rotation, but it has been the most utilized approach in MLB. Teams over the years have sometimes turned to a six-man rotation, but that is fairly rare.
Roberts and LA could take that approach, though. It makes even more sense for the Dodgers since Buehler and Kershaw are veteran pitchers with injury history. More rest would surely benefit the team.
Of course, Kershaw still does not have a strict injury timeline. Los Angeles is hoping to have him return during the regular season, but it is not clear when that return will come to fruition. He is recovering from shoulder surgery which leaves his return date in question for now.
Miller also does not have a specific timeline. He is dealing with shoulder inflammation. The fact that he is throwing off a mound is unquestionably a positive sign.
Miller was a 2024 breakout candidate. In fact, some people around the MLB world felt that Miller would establish himself as a Cy Young candidate this season. His injury status has thrown a curveball at those plans, but Miller can still play a big role for the Dodgers once he returns.
We will continue to monitor and provide updates on the Dodgers as they are made available.
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