LOS ANGELES — Jonathan Hernández pitched the final three innings of Saturday’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, giving the other six Dodgers relief pitchers a full day of rest amid a time of heavy usage. The Dodgers on Sunday recalled Kyle Hurt from Triple-A Oklahoma City, adding a fresh arm to the bullpen, with Justin Wrobleski placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm inflammation.
Manger Dave Roberts on Saturday said Hurt was on his way, and because Hurt was just optioned on Monday he would need to replace an injured pitcher in order to be activated before his 15 days were up.
“We have some guys that are ailing,” Roberts said Saturday evening.
Wrobleski is closing in on a professional career high in innings and though his innings were going to be reduced anyway by moving to the bullpen once Tyler Glasnow returns from the injured list, this allows Wrobleski to truly rest for at least two weeks. The left-hander has allowed 11 home runs in his last four starts, with 20 runs (19 earned) given up in 19 2/3 innings during that stretch.
Glasnow will make one more rehab start this coming Thursday, expected to pitch five innings and around 75 pitches, before returning to the Dodgers rotation after that. Because of upcoming off days on August 20 and 24, the Dodgers can get by with five starters all on at least five days rest until Glasnow returns.
Sunday is the 10th day of 13 straight game days in a row for the Dodgers, so they haven’t had a day off in a while, and since Blake Snell returned on Tuesday were back to a six-man starting rotation which reduced their relief corps. Sunday’s transaction allows them to carry eight relievers instead of seven the next week and a half, and the Dodgers very much needed it.
“It’s tough to navigate. We have a seven-man pen in the middle of 13 in a row. There’s a point of trying to push starters to be smart with them,” Roberts said on Friday. “Essentially all of our relievers are overworked right now, and trying to be mindful of their performance and health.”
Hurt had a 4.46 ERA and 3.64 xERA in 37 games for the Dodgers this season, with 46 strikeouts and 21 walks in 38 1/3 innings. He was optioned Monday because he had pitched each of the previous two days and would have been unavailable that day, and the Dodgers needed another fresh arm, Seth Halvorsen, who saved Tuesday’s win and was optioned in favor of Landon Knack to eat some innings on Wednesday.
That’s all part of the relief tapestry the Dodgers are weaving right now.
In between getting optioned and his return to Los Angeles, Hurt pitched once in Triple-A, tossing a perfect inning of relief on Thursday for Oklahoma City, with two strikeouts.