Dodgers: Alex Wood May Have Taken a Step Backwards in the Eyes of Dave Roberts
After a season away from the club, Alex Wood returned to the Dodgers and declared himself a member of the starting rotation early in spring training 1.0. The hope was that LA could get quality innings out of the 2017 All-Star left-hander, but so far he hasn’t pitched since allowing 3 earned runs in 3 innings pitched against the Giants in the third game of the season.
Woody went down with shoulder inflammation and has steadily been making progress in his recovery.
Alex Wood had a "positive, but not overwhelmingly positive" sim game on Monday, Roberts said. "We don't know the next step."
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) August 25, 2020
However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked about him after Monday night’s taxi squad outing at Dodger Stadium and he didn’t seem sold on Alex returning any time soon.
The hope was to get him activated this weekend, but he’s not here so that’s not to be.
The 30-year-old tossed 3 innings against players from the team’s 60-man player pool. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in the loose-play setup, coming out of the game after making 51 pitches. Roberts said that report was “positive but not overwhelmingly positive” in terms of how Wood came out of the outing and expanded after that.
We were hoping and I know Alex was hoping to come out of it feeling strength and feeling really good about his delivery, but I think that right now coming out of it, he felt good but not great about all the things we talked about.
So as for what’s next for Wood, Doc admits that he doesn’t quite know. Initially, the hope was that he would be activated over the weekend, but with the pitcher not traveling with the team to start the 6 game road trip. Moreover, with the team — more specifically the rotation — finding a bit of a groove, Roberts hinted that Alex might not be assured a rotation spot once he’s ready to return. Of course, with the way Tony Gonsolin has thrown, he’s the most deserving of a spot in the Dodgers rotation.
NEXT: Could Gavin Lux be Returning Sooner Rather than Later?
Tony G. has to be pissed off. What more does he need to do to make the MLB squad? And the Dodgers keep giving starts to lesser pitchers.
Hopefully continues taking steps back because it’s the only thing that will save the puppet master and his puppet from making a terrible choice for this team
Agree with you Din.
I never understood the signing of Wood thankfully it was only for a year.
Gonsolin has earned a rotation spot. Wood has not…
Wood was signed because of you have money you can stockpile pitchers in case of injuries. And in this case it is Wood again who is injured. Last yr he spent almost the whole season injured and now he’s still injured. It is a good thing they have Gonsolin and May!
Everyone but Dave Roberts knows that Gonsolin is miles ahead of Wood. After watching Urias’s last two starts, the same is true there. Even in a four man rotation Gonsolin should be a starter along with Kershaw, Buehler, and May. Why is the obvious so hard for some people to see?
Sad to say because I’m big on Urias but you’re correct. The analyst for the game last night said he doesn’t throw anything that starts in strike zone and breaks out late.