LOS ANGELES — Desperate times call for slightly daring measures, with the Dodgers set to return Dustin May to the mound Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The outing will be May’s first on just four days of rest since he returned from Tommy John surgery and a life-threatening esophageal injury. He had at least five days of rest for each of his previous eight starts this season.
May has thrown as many as 97 pitches in a start and threw 95 for the second time against the Angels on 16. The faster return to the mound for this turn in the rotation was not exactly the first choice.
“I think it’s more the need of the rotation,” Roberts said. “I think he’s physically able to handle it. Our rotation certainly needs it. To not have the ability really to drop somebody in, I think the progression is kind of fitting and the timing is good for this.”
That need exists with starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki on the injured list. Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw have returned lately and Landon Knack is on the roster. Roberts has even used bullpen games on occasion.
May will be asked to start in advance of an off day Thursday. Starting with Friday’s series opener against the New York Mets, the Dodgers are scheduled to play 19 games in 20 days.
“I mean, everything from my brain is about what we can do (and) how we can solve this,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said over the weekend about the rotation. “It’s like a game of Whac-a-Mole and things keep popping up. We’re doing the best we can to hit them down and keep our guys in a good spot to win as many games as we can.
“It’s a good opportunity for some guys and then hopefully get some reinforcements back. The definition of enough depth, I think, is a fool’s errand. I don’t know what enough depth means, I think more is always better with pitching depth.”
SLIDING FORWARD
Shohei Ohtani continued his progression toward throwing sliders in a bullpen session when he threw some in a flat-ground throwing session Tuesday.
Ohtani’s next bullpen session is scheduled for Saturday at New York. Whether Ohtani mixes in sliders at that time remains to be determined.
In a bullpen session this past Saturday, Ohtani simulated a two-inning outing, throwing 25 fastballs, sitting down for a rest, then throwing 25 more.
His Dodgers debut on the mound has yet to be scheduled, with Friedman giving some clarity on the process.
“At the beginning of the season, hopefully it was a very deep October run,” Friedman said. “And so we slowed down (the progression). Right now, he’s throwing a couple bullpens a week and coming out of them well and doing well. We’ll continue to kind of map out the next week or two and keep going, but everything is progressing in the right direction.”
SWING DANCE
Perhaps a return to New York, where Michael Conforto played in his first seven seasons with the Mets, will be just what he needs to turn around his offense.
Conforto entered Tuesday’s game against the Diamondbacks batting .168 with two home runs and six RBIs in 45 games. His last home run came April 5.
Roberts plans on giving Conforto a day off Wednesday to go along with Thursday’s team off day, then turn his veteran loose at New York against the Mets.
“I think the last handful of days has swung the bat better and just really not getting a whole lot of results with that,” Roberts said. “He’s in a good spot. I’m sure he’s frustrated. … But I applaud his work and his consistent effort. He’s not running from it and that’s something that isn’t always easy when you’re struggling.”
Internal numbers suggest success could be on the way. According to MLB’s Baseball Savant site, Conforto is well above average among all MLB players in hard-hit percentage, barrel percentage and bat speed.
STRATEGIC REST
After making his return Monday, following a groin injury, Teoscar Hernandez was on the bench to start Tuesday’s game. Roberts said he wanted to make sure Hernandez was at full strength to face Arizona right-hander Corbin Burnes on Wednesday.
“I just felt like having him in there (Wednesday) and I just couldn’t guarantee that he could go three in a row,” Roberts said.
NEXT ARM UP
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw on flat ground before getting on the bullpen mound for a light throwing session. A tentative plan is for Glasnow to then have a full bullpen session, possibly on Friday at Dodger Stadium. He is not scheduled to be with the team on the upcoming road trip.
Glasnow, who is on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, is expected to return to the rotation before either Ohtani or Blake Snell.
EMMY TIME
Dodgers announcer Joe Davis received an Emmy on Tuesday for Outstanding Personality/Play-by-Play to honor his work on FOX national broadcasts. Davis has called the World Series for FOX since 2022.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Dustin May, 1-4, 4.43 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks (RHP Corbin Burnes, 3-1, 2.56 ERA), Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
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