With the Los Angeles Dodgers scrambling to keep their starting rotation together, Brandon McCarthy volunteered his services in lieu of making another rehab start.
McCarthy’s proposition was accepted, and he turned in four strong starts. They were a welcomed sign for a pitcher who was coming off Tommy John surgery. However, the 33-year-old seemingly dropped of a cliff in his next three starts, and hit rock bottom on Saturday.
In what was the shortest start of his time with the Dodgers, McCarthy walked five batters and allowed three runs in just 1.2 innings pitched. He was removed with right hip stiffness.
McCarthy’s five walks matched a career high and it’s a total he’s now had in three straight starts. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to walk five batters in three consecutive starts since Kaz Ishii did so in 2004.
According to Bill Plunkett of the OC Register, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said McCarthy’s hip trouble dates back to a start against the Colorado Rockies:
#Dodgers Dave Roberts said Brandon Mccarthy's hip has been bothering him since fielding a bunt in Colorado. Will undergo tests. Status TBD
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 14, 2016
McCarthy said he expects to be put on the disabled list, per Bill Shaikin of the LA Times:
McCarthy says he expects to go on DL.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) August 14, 2016
Conventional wisdom held McCarthy’s troubles against the Rockies on Aug. 2 were related to a rain delay in the first inning. The fateful bunt was by Daniel Descalso to lead off the second inning. McCarthy was chased in the fourth, and has failed to throw more than 3.2 innings since that time.
He threw multiple bullpen sessions this week in effort to solve mechanical and command issues that have plagued him. McCarthy expressed confidence on Friday that they’d been put behind him.
Up until Saturday, the Dodgers maintained the right-hander’s struggles were not related to injury. McCarthy joins Kiké Hernandez, Adam Liberatore and Trayce Thompson as Dodgers who are publicly known to have unsuccessfully played through injury.
With McCarthy likely bound for the DL, the Dodgers presumably will reinstate Bud Norris and slot him into the rotation when McCarthy would have next started.
