The Los Angeles Dodgers delayed their decision to activate Alex Wood from the 60-day disabled list, and face multiple questions as the 2016 regular season winds to a close. Brett Anderson and Scott Kazmir are among those attempting to make a return.
For Anderson, that appears to be more a question of when, not if. He joined Triple-A Oklahoma City for a rehab start in Game 3 of the Pacific Coast League championship. Anderson allowed one run on three hits and had five strikeouts in five innings.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the outing the club expected to reinstate Anderson from the 15-day disabled list. Anderson was put on the DL Aug. 23, retroactive to Aug. 21, with a blister on his left index finger.
While the 28-year-old is likely to be activated within the week, what role Anderson will fill is hardly settled. “We haven’t made that decision yet as far as when we want to pencil him in,” Roberts said Monday. “As a starter obviously there’s some options for us, or to put him in the ‘pen.”
ssignment was Anderson’s second since he was put on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 23, retroactive to Aug. 21, with a blister on his left index finger. His first didn’t not go nearly as well, with the southpaw allowing six runs (five earned) in just two innings.
Meanwhile, Kazmir is suffering from a blister that developed after he threw a 60-pitch simulated game last week. It’s not considered serious, but the Dodgers don’t yet have a plan outlined for the southpaw.
“Kaz has got a little minor thing going on with his finger blister, but it shouldn’t effect him at all,” Roberts said. “I think for us we need to figure out what’s the next course of action. … There’s got to be some type of build up as far as a pitch count. We don’t have that assignment right now.”
Kazmir was initially sidelined with thoracic spine inflammation. Roberts surmised earlier this month that the left-hander would miss multiple weeks. Should that still hold true, it figures to put a squeeze on Kazmir making a potential postseason roster.