LOS ANGELES — The calendar is working against him. But Brock Stewart is not giving up on his season.
“It’s go time. Now or never. So let’s do it,” Stewart said as he packed for a trip to Tacoma on Monday.
Stewart will join Triple-A Oklahoma City there and start a minor-league rehabilitation assignment on Tuesday. The plan is for Stewart to pitch on Tuesday and Thursday then rejoin the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Friday. He could be activated from the injured list during the weekend series against the San Francisco Giants.
“If all goes well then we’ll have a conversation over the weekend,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “If all goes well, with his ability to pitch well and manage right(-handed hitters), it could be very helpful.”
That was the idea when Stewart was acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. But he made just four appearances for the Dodgers before going on the IL with a sore shoulder. He got a platelet-rich plasma injection and a cortisone shot before trying to start a throwing program. There was still pain in his shoulder so he received another cortisone shot and shut down the throwing.
The second shot gave him some relief and Stewart resumed throwing. He faced hitters in a live batting practice session last week as preparation for this week’s rehab assignment. His shoulder feels “good, solid” now, Stewart said.
Among the Dodgers’ right-handed relievers, Kirby Yates has struggled and Michael Kopech’s command has been spotty since he returned from a knee injury. Stewart would give Roberts another option to go with Blake Treinen and rookie Edgardo Henriquez.
“We need that,” Roberts said. “If you look at our ’pen, how guys have fared against right-handed hitting and we’ve got a good sample. … With (Stewart’s) track record and recency – we’ve just got to make sure he’s healthy and he’s right then it could be very additive.”
OPENING TIME
Left-hander Anthony Banda started Monday’s game, opening for right-hander Emmet Sheehan.
The decision was made so that Banda could face the dangerous left-handed hitters at the top of the Phillies’ lineup (Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper).
“Anthony is going to play an important role in this series,” Roberts said. “The way they structure their lineup, just to get him on some lefties makes sense. We’ve got a chance to pick when to put him on them.”
An additional benefit was giving Sheehan a little more experience coming out of the bullpen – the role he is almost certain to have in the postseason, either in long relief or ‘piggybacking’ with another starter.
CATCHING UP
The Dodgers placed catcher Will Smith on the IL with a bone bruise in his right hand on Saturday, but he has stayed active, catching bullpen sessions over the weekend and “trying to keep his body moving.”
Hitting and throwing will be more of a test for Smtih’s injured hand.
“There might be some one-handed swings. I don’t know if he’s going to be using his top hand,” Roberts said. “As far as the throwing, I’m not sure about that. It’s kind of a day-to-day thing with that.”
Smith will be eligible to come off the IL on Saturday but will have to pass some tests before he comes back.
“I think as the days get closer it’s going to be contingent on what he’s doing,” Roberts said. “If two days out from the potential activation if he’s taking lives (live batting practice) then it’s more plausible, right? If he’s not then probably not (on Saturday).
“Each day hopefully will be better.”
Taking at-bats in simulated game sessions will be sufficient, Roberts said. There is no plan for Smith to go on a rehab assignment.
After nine seasons and 686 minor-league games with five organizations plus time playing in Australia and the Dominican Republic, 30-year-old Chuckie Robinson made his major-league debut, starting at catcher Monday night. Ben Rortvedt had started seven of the previous eight games.
Dalton Rushing has rejoined the Dodgers, though, and will likely be activated from the IL on Tuesday with Robinson going back to OKC. Rushing went on the IL after fouling a ball off his right shin. He played four games on a rehab assignment with OKC (two as catcher and two at DH), he went 4 for 11 with two doubles and five walks.
UP NEXT
Phillies (LHP Cristopher Sanchez, 13-5, 2.57 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 1-1, 3.75 ERA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM
