The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Josh Fields on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to Aug. 25) with a lower back strain and reinstated Yu Darvish on Sunday. Darvish returns on the first day he was eligible and starts in the rubber match and series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Fields is the 26th different player the Dodgers have placed on the disabled list this season, which inches them closer to matching the MLB record they set last year with 28. On the year, Fields is 5-0 with a 2.68 ERA, 4.21 FIP and 0.98 WHIP in 47 games.
Fields began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, though has only made three relief appearances with the affiliate. He’s thrown a combined three scoreless innings in those games, allowing just one hit and collecting three strikeouts.
Darvish was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 19 (retroactive to Aug. 17) with a lower back strain. It forced Darvish to exit his last start after just six innings and was an issue he’d dealt with since facing the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 31-year-old nonetheless believed he was capable of avoiding the DL but respected the team’s decision to err on the side of caution. While sidelined, he threw multiple bullpen sessions that aimed to ensure good health and refine mechanics.
Specifically, Darvish worked with Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt on returning to the arm slot he threw from prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery.
In three starts for the Dodgers, Darvish is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 22 strikeouts in 18 innings and allowed opponents to bat .239/.282/.418.
