The Los Angeles Dodgers pushed Alex Wood’s scheduled start back to Wednesday and instead sent Hyun-Jin Ryu to the mound for Sunday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres. Ryu still starts on normal rest due to Thursday’s off day in the schedule.
Meanwhile, Wood will now take the mound on eight days’ rest when he faces the Texas Rangers in the Dodgers’ final Interleague game of the season. Wood labored some through his Aug. 20 outing, allowing four runs in just four-plus innings.
The left-hander nonetheless said he ‘felt pretty good overall’ in the start against the St. Louis Cardinals. Wood came off the disabled list after missing the minimum 10 days time due to left adductor tendinitis. He’s also battled hamstring cramps on multiple occasions this season.
While the Dodgers have made a habit of providing their starters with additional rest whenever possible, their latest decision is tied to a looming series with the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers are now aligned to start Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, Ryu and Walker Buehler, in that order, during the key four-game series with the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium (Aug. 30-Sept. 2). They’re due to be opposed by Robbie Ray, Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin and Clay Buchholz.
Hill is 0-1 and allowed a combined 12 runs on 14 hits, including five home runs, in nine innings pitched across two starts against the Diamondbacks this season. Though, Hill hasn’t seen Arizona since facing them in back-to-back starts (with DL stint in between) on April 14 and May 8.
Kershaw is 1-1 with a 2.29 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks in 2018. He’s collected 24 strikeouts against just two walks, but also surrendered five home runs in 19 innings.
Ryu has twice faced the Diamondbacks this year, including in his season debut when he allowed three runs on five hits and five walks in 3.2 innings at Dodger Stadium. Ryu then logged just 1.1 innings at Chase Field in early May before coming out with a groin strain that kept him sidelined until Aug. 15.
Buehler’s start on Sunday will be the first of his career against the Diamondbacks.
