Dodgers News: Paco Rodriguez Will Begin Throwing Program
When Paco Rodriguez went to the 15-day disabled list with an elbow issue, it seemed as if the worst may have happened to the left-handed reliever.
The 24-year-old has pitched in 18 games this year and has allowed just three earned runs. Thus far, he has a career-best FIP at 2.42, but he went on the DL with elbow issues.
Rodriguez was sent back to Los Angeles for an MRI earlier in the week and has received no new news via J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News:
Paco Rodriguez has no change in his MRI from when he was signed, Mattingly says.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) June 2, 2015
Although nothing was shown on the MRI, the Los Angeles Dodgers and their staff are wary to not rush Rodriguez back before he’s ready, so he will rest for a few days before he begins a throwing program:
Paco Rodriguez will rest for five days before beginning a rehab program. Surgery has been ruled out for now.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) June 2, 2015
Strangely enough, Rodriguez pitches better against right-handed batters than left-handed batters. Right-handed hitters are hitting just .214, while left-handed hitters are hitting .292 against him. However, the Dodgers bullpen has performed well enough to carry on without him for the time being. With the fourth-best bullpen ERA, 2.64, and fifth-best batting average against at .213, the team is still in good hands.
The front office’s concern for depth has been put to work early on in the season with the season-long losses of Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu and DL stints by a handful of others. In the bullpen, the Dodgers were carrying three left-handers making Rodriguez’s injury a bit easier to handle. Joel Peralta, Brandon League and now Rodriguez are three relievers the team can expect back in the future.
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