The Dodgers broke the record.

The Dodgers added Clayton Kershaw to their active roster today so he can start against the Miami Marlins.

As a small but historic footnote, the Dodgers set a record in the process.

To create room for Kershaw on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers recalled right-handed pitcher Carlos Frias from Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed him on the 60-day disabled list. The Dodgers now have 28 players on the disabled list this year, surpassing the 2012 Boston Red Sox for the most by a team since 1987.

The Dodgers have lost more man-games to DL stints this season than any major league team.

Dodgers’ New York rotation: Jose De Leon, Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw.

The Dodgers plan to deploy a rotation of Jose De Leon, Julio Urias and Clayton Kershaw starting Monday for their three-game series against the New York Yankees, manager Dave Roberts told reporters today.

For Kershaw, who starts tonight in Miami, Wednesday’s start will be his second since coming off the 60-day disabled list. The left-hander hasn’t pitched since June because of a herniated disc in his lower back. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was 11-2 with a 1.79 ERA at the time of the injury.

De Leon is starting in place of veteran left-hander Scott Kazmir, who left his Triple-A rehab start Wednesday with a recurrence of pain in his left neck/ribcage area. In his only major league start, De Leon threw six innings Sunday against the San Diego Padres and allowed two runs.

Urias, 20, hasn’t started since last Friday against the Padres. Urias is on a predetermined innings limit in his first major league season and hadn’t been used since the Dodgers shifted him to the bullpen this week. The rookie left-hander is 5-2 with a 3.69 ERA this season.

Andre Ethier’s minor league rehabiltiation stint is over.

Andre Ethier

Andre Ethier (right) is set to rejoin the Dodgers this weekend in Miami. (Getty Images)


If you had September 9 in your office’s “when will Andre Ethier return to the Dodgers” pool, congratulations. You have a gambling problem.

Ethier’s minor league rehabilitation assignment ended Friday with a one-sentence announcement in the team’s game notes: “Ethier is headed to Miami and could be reinstated by the Dodgers as early as tonight.”
Continue reading “Andre Ethier’s minor league rehabiltiation stint is over.” »

Why Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood wasn’t on the team flight to Miami today.

Pitcher Alex Wood said after last night’s game that he planned to stay back in Los Angeles today and throw a second bullpen session. Wood also threw a short bullpen Monday, his first since undergoing surgery on his elbow in July.

If today’s bullpen session goes well, Wood said the plan calls for him to fly to Arizona and face live hitters at Camelback Ranch – Glendale. Since the Dodgers play in Phoenix next Thursday, Wood will simply wait there until his teammates fly in, then rejoin the active roster if and when he’s ready.

Wood is on the 60-day disabled list, so the Dodgers would need to make a corresponding move to get him on their active roster. The same is true for tomorrow’s starting pitcher, Clayton Kershaw.

The Dodgers’ starting rotation is starting to rotate on a normal-ish basis.

Ross Stripling

Ross Stripling is one of six different pitchers who will start for the Dodgers in a six-game stretch this week. (Associated Press photo)

Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart are scheduled to start the next two games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. That will complete a streak of four straight rookie pitchers (Kenta Maeda today, Jose De Leon yesterday) who will have started a game with the Dodgers nursing a small lead in the National League West standings.

What’s more, the Dodgers are scheduled to use a different starting pitcher in all six games they will play this week.

However, things are about to get normal. (Normal-ish, at least.) After an off-day Thursday, the Dodgers travel to Miami to kick off a 10-game road trip. Here are the probable matchups for that series:

Friday: Clayton KershawJose Fernandez
Saturday: Rich HillTom Koehler
Sunday: Maeda – Jake Esch

Continue reading “The Dodgers’ starting rotation is starting to rotate on a normal-ish basis.” »