The Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday placed Brandon McCarthy on the 10-day disabled list for a second time this season. That it came one day after McCarthy threw three wild pitches in a three-run second inning, and another in the third, raised some red flags.
The official diagnosis on McCarty is right knee tendinitis. Whereas Kenta Maeda’s hamstring tightness seemingly cropped up out of nowhere, McCarthy has dealt with the knee issue for the majority of the year.
It forced him to an early removal from a start last month after six efficient innings were in the books. Roberts surmised the right-hander would next pitch for the club in “11 or 12 days.”
The second-year manager also reiterated his belief McCarthy’s sudden loss of command against the Colorado Rockies was not cause for concern. “I don’t think it’s anywhere near where we were last year,” Roberts said.
“He’s worked as much if not harder than anyone because of not only the physical, what he had to go through and recover from, but the mental. He talks about it and he’s not afraid to face certain things head on. And that’s to his credit.
“He said last year there were some mental things that he couldn’t repeat (his delivery). Whether he calls it the yips or whatever, he talks about it, worked hard to overcome it and has been an elite starter for us this year.”
Although it was a disappointing turn of events for McCarthy, he did manage to find the strike zone in the third inning. The 33-year-old issued two walks, which was in stark contrast to last season once the yips set in.
McCarthy wouldn’t say of the same troubles had surfaced, but felt his experience last season would be of benefit in overcoming the command issue this year.
