Dodgers left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu underwent shoulder surgery today that revealed damage in his labrum, manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including J.P. Hoornstra of the L.A. News Group (Twitter link). The labral repair surgery will end Ryu’s 2015 season without throwing a pitch, though Mattingly told reporters that the team’s expectation is that Ryu will be ready to pitch in Spring Training 2016.
The 28-year-old Ryu is earning $4MM in 2015 — the third season of a six-year, $36MM contract signed in the 2012-13 offseason. He’ll join right-hander Brandon McCarthy on the shelf for the duration of the season, leaving the Dodgers with just 60 percent of their projected rotation available for the rest of the year on May 21.
Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Brett Anderson will front the rotation moving forward, but Anderson’s injury history is among the lengthiest of any active pitcher in the league, so the Dodgers have to be at least somewhat concerned with their rotation depth moving forward. To this point, both Mike Bolsinger and Carlos Frias have pitched well as substitutes, but neither has any sort of track record in the Major Leagues.
Ryu projected as the Dodgers’ No. 3 starter this season after adjusting from the Korea Baseball Organization to Major League Baseball quite well from 2013-14. In those two seasons, Ryu worked to a combined 3.17 ERA with 7.7 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 49.2 percent ground-ball rate. However, he failed to reach 200 frames in either of those campaigns, and he bothered by shoulder troubles in 2014, spending time on the 15-day DL early in the season and seeing his season end on Sept. 12 due to shoulder fatigue.
The Dodgers have a rich farm system that should afford them the ability to trade for rotation help if they see fit. Given the fact that the only starters who are guaranteed to return in 2016 are Kershaw, Ryu and McCarthy — Anderson is on a one-year deal, whereas Greinke has the ability to opt out of his contract’s remaining three years after the season — Los Angeles could is a speculative fit not only for rental pitchers such as Scott Kazmir, but for longer-term assets like Cole Hamels (if, of course, it is determined that trades are the best route).
The Dodgers have steadfastly refused to include Corey Seager, Julio Urias or breakout rookie Joc Pederson in trades to this point, and I’d imagine that will continue to be the case as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. Nonetheless, the team has enough depth in the farm system that it will have a number of realistic targets to explore if president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, GM Farhan Zaidi and VP Josh Byrnes elect to engage other clubs in trade talks.
I wonder realistically how many innings the Dodgers are thinking/planning Anderson can handle this season.
150-175 if they’re lucky.
Well since he’s only done that once in his career, I wouldn’t hold my breath there.
I think they should make him a spot starter or long man if he’s not on the DL after the all-star break.
Well, he’s only 27. For comparison, Josh Johnson, a similar oft-injured pitcher, had his best season at age 26. Pineda’s around the same age and is proving to be reliable so far, as well.
He and Johnson do have a lot in common. Notably, health
nevermind
The Dodgers biggest problem is SP depth, and your recommendation for them is to make one of their few starters just a spot starter/long man?
Well if he flames out then what? You suggest running him into the ground? That’s why I said realistically what to they expect. I don’t think he can handle a 130+ inning workload this season and if he does they may not be quality innings.
Hate to disagree, their biggest problem is “NO” clutch hitters!
Look @ just concluded Giants series numbers of runners left on base & opportunities with two outs.
You do not have the bases loaded & swing for the fences & go down swinging, “just hit the ball some where”!
So far they have been a group of “choke” artists!
LAD are 3rd in the MLB with an .840 team OPS w/ RISP.
They’ve been good. They are built to be good. They will continue to be good. Even when fans panic after one series.
RISP isn’t exactly a “clutch” stat. And the sample size is too small to be useful anyway.
Absolutely agreed David. I’m just happily finding flaws in already flawed logic.
The Dodgers will be fine, contrary to the glass-half-empty view from Dgr_4.
Dodgers have depth so if he does get injured I think they’ll be fine.
Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza will likely be available. Either could be valuable pieces for Dodgers. Garza’s numbers were blown up in his last start vs. Mets but prior to that he had posted 3 straight quality starts. Lohse has been steady (3.55 ERA in his last 6 starts) after a very rocky first 3 starts. If the Brewers intend to reload rather than rebuild, they’d target either Justin Turner or Alex Guerrero to replace Ramirez as everyday 3B heading into 2016. Otherwise, they’d want pitching prospects.
If the Dodgers have interest in say Segura along with either Garza or Lohse, then it could be a very interesting deal. Early returns on Luis Sardinas have been very positive for Brewers.
Guerrero would be a half year rental and thus wouldn’t interest the brewers. He has an opt out clause at the end of the year in his contract if he is traded.
This is true, but he could always agree not to opt out as a condition of any trade, particularly if a team guarantees him regular playing time.
Why would he? He’s got 2 years and $10 million left on his deal. He’s hitting up a storm. If he continues to hit he can easily get $10 million+ per year and a longer deal. Getting to become a free agent would be huge for him.
The Dodgers have Seager waiting in the wings, and Frias and Bolsinger have been better this year than both Lohse and Garza.
In short, do not want.
Good luck hanging onto that lead with Bolsinger and Frias
Bolsinger has pitched very well lately. It’s still early, but impressive.
They may be performing better now. But how about when they reach 150IP? And go beyond innings they’ve Never thrown before professionally? Do they even make it to September much less Playoffs? The Dodgers 1000% will address SP before the Deadline. They have to add at least 1 SP. And then maybe rely on Anderson having a breakout year and Beachy managing to make meaningful innings starting down the stretch if he even can.
It’s likely 2 SPs will be acquired by the Dodgers. Lohse/Garza make a combo sense. Though I wouldn’t doubt an inquiry to the Mets on Colon or Gee even Niese.
Dodgers aren’t giving up Guerrero or Turner for a pitching rental and I don’t think they have interest in Segura either.
I think Hamels is the last resort for the dodgers because they don’t want to trade Seager or Urias. But they are going to have to have insurance if Greinke opts out and I think he will
Greinke isn’t going to get more money per year if he opts out but might get more years. If he wants to stay with the Dodgers I’m sure they can add 2 more years to his current deal and keep him.
I think he will test the market, he is having a great year so far, and he’s going to test the market imo. which Is why I think the dodgers make the trade for hamels to have that insurance incase greinke does leave. And Urias or Seager will be traded
I honestly think the Dodgers will steer clear of Hamels given the asking price from Amaro Jr. There is a huge market of great starting pitchers in the 2016 FA class, so I don’t think the Dodgers are too worried about losing Greinke anyways to free agency.
This is turning out to be a bad week for the boys in blue.
I give Brett Anderson 5 more starts before he’s done for the season. The Dodgers will have to add at least one SP if they want to maintain the top spot in the West down the stretch.