Alex Vesia has done virtually whatever the Los Angeles Dodgers have asked him to this season.
Yet, continuing a year-long trend of pitching injuries, Vesia went on the injured list with an oblique strain Tuesday before LA’s win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Vesia is second on the team in appearances (59) behind only Anthony Banda, and the Dodgers could count on him to close — he has four saves — or handle tough left-handed hitters out of the bullpen. He has a 2.75 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 69-18 strikeout-to-walk rate in 52 2/3 innings.
What Happened To Alex Vesia?
Vesia told reporters after Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the Reds, their third straight victory, that he had injured his side while playing catch before the series finale against the San Diego Padres on Sunday.
According to Aiden Gonzalez of ESPN, Vesia wanted to “speak up now rather than try to overdo it and jeopardize later down the line.”
“It just felt tight,” Vesia said. “There was no pull or grab or anything that would make me concerned.”
To Vesia’s point, the Dodgers hold only a one-game lead over the Padres atop the National League West, but they are almost assured of a postseason berth. LA (76-57) has a 99.6 percent chance of reaching the playoffs per Baseball Reference and trails the Philadelphia Phillies by a half-game for the No. 2 seed in the National League.
So, even if the Dodgers win the division, they still may wind up in the National League wild-card series — since the third-seeded division winner will host the No. 3 wild card in that round.
That makes getting Vesia healthy and back in time for the postseason the priority, which manager Dave Roberts said is a likely scenario.
“I don’t think it should be too long,” Roberts said. “He’s been obviously a leverage guy for us the last few years, so we’ve got to make sure we get him right for the stretch run.”
What Is The Status Of The Dodgers’ Pitching Staff?
The irony of Vesia hitting the IL is the Dodgers pitching staff was finally about as healthy as it has been all year.
Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates each came off the injured list last week, and fellow late-inning reliever Michael Kopech is slated to come off in the next few weeks.
Plus, ace starters Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow are as healthy and built up as they have been in a Dodgers uniform. Blake Snell, who also was dealing with a shoulder injury earlier this year, was activated from the paternity before LA’s game Tuesday and is the probable pitcher when the Dodgers open their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
Roki Sasaki, who has made just eight starts after signing with the Dodgers this off-season, made his third rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, throwing 3 2/3 innings in the Comets’ 4-2 loss Tuesday.
So although Vesia’s injury is a setback for the Dodgers‘ pitching staff, all eyes are squarely fixed on the postseason and simply getting as healthy as possible for October. Barring a significant injury before October, LA’s pitching staff should be more in tact than it was last year, when it went 11-5 and won the World Series.
Dodgers Place Key 59-Game Relief Pitcher on Injured List