Dodgers Prospects: Josiah Gray Shut Down with Shoulder Issue
The injury bug has bitten the Dodgers early and often this season. After losing Edwin Rios for the season due to a shoulder issue, Los Angeles will also be without prospect Josiah Gray for the time being.
Gray was scheduled to start for the OKC Dodgers this past Tuesday, but he ended up being a late scratch. When asked if there were any updates later that evening, Dave Roberts didn’t seem to have any updates either.
That changed on Wednesday afternoon when Roberts shed some light on how their top prospect was doing.
Josiah Gray will be shut down a week to 10 days with a right shoulder impingement.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) May 12, 2021
It seems as if Gray being scratched was purely out of precaution, but it may have ended up saving the young pitcher from further harm. When asked about what the plan for Gray was, Dave Roberts didn’t seem to consider it a long-term issue.
It was a shoulder impingement. I think right now we’re going to shut him down for a week to ten days, not pick up a baseball. Then we’ll kinda see where he’s at at that point.
This type of injury is common in baseball players, usually stemming from overuse of the shoulder. The danger comes when it is ignored and the player continues to push through the pain for too long. Had Gray attempted to pitch through the discomfort, it is quite likely that surgery would be the only option. Instead, it may be something that goes away with rest and treatment.
[Josiah felt it] right before the game, yeah. He just felt a little discomfort, so [we’re] just happy that we and Josiah detected it early and he didn’t try and push himself.
Related: Edwin Rios to have season-ending surgery
The timing of this injury is not great, as Gray was being considered for a potential call-up with the starting rotation being depleted. He impressed in his first start of the season at AAA OKC, throwing 5 innings and collecting 10 strikeouts along the way.
It’s only a matter of time before the young flamethrower makes his major league debut, but at least for now, it will have to wait.
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