Season in review about nothing: Paco Rodriguez, ‘The Pothole.’

Paco Rodriguez

The Dodgers traded Paco Rodriguez to the Atlanta Braves on July 30. (Getty Images)

This is Part 40 of a series in which every member of the 2015 Dodgers has his season juxtaposed with an episode of the greatest sitcom of all-time. Don’t take it too seriously.

Paco Rodriguez, RP

Key stats: 2.61 ERA, three walks, eight strikeouts in 10 ⅓ innings in 18 games.

Seinfeld episode: “The Pothole” (Season 8, Episode 16)

Key quote: “Holy cow! Have a nice life.”

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Paco Rodriguez will have surgery after all, miss 8-10 weeks.

Paco Rodriguez mugshotMIAMI — Dodgers pitcher Paco Rodriguez will have arthroscopic surgery Thursday to remove loose bodies in the back of his left elbow. He is expected to miss approximately 8-10 weeks.

Rodriguez has known for weeks that he had a bone spur in the elbow (a bone spur can become a “loose body”) that would eventually require surgery. But he was able to pitch four scoreless rehab innings over four games recently with Triple-A Oklahoma City, leaving open the possibility that Rodriguez could return to the majors right away. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly even said Friday that Rodriguez would join the team in Arizona, where the Dodgers begin a three-game series Monday.

Now that Rodriguez is at least two months away from competition, his season is in jeopardy.

Mattingly said he “would think” Rodriguez could return in time to pitch for the Dodgers in the playoffs, should their season get that far.
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Paco Rodriguez’s minor-league rehab is over, important meeting looms.

Paco Rodriguez

Paco Rodriguez’s rehab is over, and Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the left-hander will rejoin the team Monday in Arizona. (Getty Images)

MIAMI — The Dodgers are getting one reliever (Pedro Baez) back tonight and should be getting two more (Brandon League and Paco Rodriguez) back soon enough.

Ian Thomas was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Baez. League will pitch for the Triple-A Dodgers on Saturday and Monday. It’s not obvious whose spot League will take; the Dodgers might elect to return to an 8-man bullpen once League is activated.

The most interesting case, as it might be all year, is that of Rodriguez.

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Injury updates: Juan Nicasio, Pedro Baez, Brandon Beachy, Paco Rodriguez.

SAN DIEGO — Dodgers manager Don Mattingly updated the status of several injured players Saturday.

Juan Nicasio is still recovering from a split nail on his right middle finger that prevents him from throwing breaking balls; Pedro Baez is on the disabled list with a strained pectoral muscle:

Mattingly also discussed Brandon Beachy, who is still set to pitch for Rancho Cucamonga Tuesday, and Paco Rodriguez, who begins a rehab assignment Monday: