The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed right-handed reliever Anthony Banda on the 15-day injured list after he suffered a hairline fracture in his hand. According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Banda sustained the injury by punching an immovable object in frustration after being pulled from Monday’s game. Banda had allowed two runs on three hits in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs, leading to his emotional reaction.
With Banda sidelined, the Dodgers will rely more on other dependable relievers such as Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips, and Michael Kopech, who have all shown strong performances in recent weeks. Given that Banda is out for at least two weeks and Joe Kelly is still recovering, the Dodgers have expedited Brusdar Graterol’s return to the bullpen following his hamstring injury. Graterol made his first appearance since coming off the IL in last night’s game against the Cubs, pitching a scoreless inning on 21 pitches.
Despite holding the second-best record in baseball, the Dodgers have faced a challenging stretch, losing four of their last six games. While their bullpen has been a bright spot, ranking fifth in the league with a 3.58 ERA, the starting rotation has shown signs of wear. Walker Buehler struggled on Monday, giving up five runs on nine hits over five innings against the Cubs.
“There were some command issues clearly… it’s hard to pitch consistently if you don’t have the margin,” Roberts said after the game. “When he does make a mistake, he pays for it, even if it’s not that bad of a pitch.”
Roberts remains optimistic about the team’s pitching prospects. The Dodgers welcomed back Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Tuesday, who allowed just one run over four innings. Additionally, Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw are nearing their returns, which could bolster the rotation and relieve some of the pressure on the bullpen if they can extend their starts.
