The Dodgers can’t seem to catch a break as of late with the injury bug running rampant through the clubhouse. 

Three key pieces for L.A. have gone down in the last few days, starting off with Yoshinobu Yamamoto after he left his Saturday night start against the Kansas City Royals early due to triceps tightness. 

Yamamoto had been experiencing some tightness leading up to his start but didn’t think it was anything to be too concerned about. “I did have tightness and I was aware of it, but it wasn’t serious at that point [during his bullpen session],” said Yamamoto. “I let coaches know, and we decided to pull me.” Only 28 pitches were thrown by the right hander before being pulled.

Yamamoto had his start last Thursday against the Texas Rangers pushed back in hopes of giving him a little extra rest but it was no use as he is likely to spend a brief stint on the Injured List (IL).

A big loss for L.A. considering Yamamoto’s impressive rookie campaign so far with six wins in eight games and a 2.92 ERA. 

The unfortunate Yamamoto news is just the tip of the iceberg as superstar Mookie Betts went down Sunday after a 97.9 mph four-seam fastball drilled his left hand causing him to immediately drop to the ground and writhe around in pain. Betts would leave the game shortly after. 

The stray pitch came from Royals right hander Dan Altavilla on a 1-2 count in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Dodgers would go on to win 3-2 and wrap up the series two games to one. 

Manager Dave Roberts says Betts won’t need surgery but is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, a crucial loss for L.A. with Betts currently hitting .304 to go along with 10 homers on the year. 

Adding salt to the wound, right hander Walker Buehler is making a return to the IL after being struck by a line drive straight to his hip on Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies. 

Buehler hasn’t been able to stay on the field over the past few years after having his second Tommy John surgery back in August of 2022, which sidelined him for the rest of the year as well as all of 2023. 

Buehler has struggled since his return back in May, posting a brutal 1-4 win-loss record and an era of 5.84. 

“It sucks to feel kind of invaluable, or like you’re hampering your team,” said Buehler. “At the end of the day, we really like our team and want to be ready for the end of the year. And I’m going to do whatever I need to do to feel like I can help our team at the end of the year, and do everything in my power to be valuable enough to be on those rosters.”

Dave Roberts says a brief stint on the IL will be good for Buehler who he believes is still trying to find himself since his return from Tommy John. 

On the bright side, the Dodgers bullpen should be getting a nice boost soon with the return of a couple of familiar faces on the horizon. 

Future Hall of Famer and three-time CY Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is nearing his return to the Dodgers lineup after his first rehab start on Wednesday with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. 

Kershaw had a solid outing throwing 37 pitches and registering five strikeouts while allowing only one earned run and two hits. 

“It was fun to get back out there. As long as everything comes out fine, I think I’m on for the next one,” said Kershaw when asked how he felt after the game and moving forward. 

The 36-year-old is expected to make a few more rehab starts before his return to the majors after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder back in November. 

Kershaw’s last big league appearance wasn’t one that Dodgers fans would prefer to remember. Kershaw was torched in game one of the NLDS against the Diamondbacks after allowing six runs and one walk and was pulled after retiring only one batter. 

Although there is no exact date for his return, right hander Joe Kelly went through a 25-pitch bullpen session last Friday which is a step in the right direction after suffering a posterior strain in his throwing shoulder back in early May. 

The Dodgers kick off the first pair of games in the Freeway Series on Friday, June 21 at 7:10 p.m. PST. Every Dodger game can be listened to on KHTS Radio on FM 98.1 and AM 1220. 

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