Dodgers call up reliever JT Chargois with Hyun-Jin Ryu on injured list
The Dodgers, already without Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill, placed a third left-handed starting pitcher, Hyun-Jin Ryu, on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after he strained his left groin in an abbreviated start Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Right-handed reliever JT Chargois was recalled from triple-A Oklahoma City to take his spot on the roster.
Ryu’s injury forced him to exit in the second inning Monday, after securing five outs and throwing 34 pitches. Ryu tore his left groin last season, an injury that forced him to miss over three months, but he insisted Monday’s strain was not as severe. He labeled early departure precautionary.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ryu had not undergone a magnetic resonance imaging exam as of Tuesday afternoon and wasn’t scheduled to have one.
“Right now, he feels better than he did last night, which is a good sign,” Roberts said. “So when he kind of picks up a baseball, we haven’t made that determination and obviously there’s going to be some kind of bullpen just to see how he feels on the mound.”
Ryu’s absence has ripple effects. Julio Urias, who was slated to move to the bullpen after his start Friday, will remain in the rotation until either Ryu or Hill is activated. Ross Stripling, another starter expected to shift to the bullpen when the rotation is fully staffed, will remain in the rotation until Ryu and Hill are both healthy. The Dodgers also need a starting pitcher to take Ryu’s turn in the rotation Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers because the earliest Kershaw could pitch would be Sunday. Roberts ruled out relying on his bullpen to split the game Saturday. He said calling up a starter for the game is an option.
Roberts said the Dodgers considered changing Kershaw’s plans and having him start for them Tuesday instead of making a second rehab start for double-A Tulsa. But they elected to send Kershaw to Tulsa. He is expected to make his season debut at Dodger Stadium on Sunday against the Brewers or Monday against the Cincinnati Reds.
Chargois’ arrival gives the Dodgers a nine-man bullpen until Saturday. The 28-year-old arrived in St. Louis on three days’ rest after making his season debut with Oklahoma City on Friday. He allowed one run in 1⅓ innings. He posted a 3.34 earned-run average in 32⅓ innings across 39 games for the Dodgers last season.
Hill’s bullpen goes ‘awesome’
Hill threw his second bullpen session since going on the injured list with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee at Busch Stadium Tuesday and emerged encouraged.
“It went awesome,” Hill said. “It felt normal.”
Hill said his knee brace, which was restrictive in his first bullpen session, was not a hindrance in his 41-pitch session Tuesday after he figured out how to avoid letting it slide. The left-hander guessed the next step will be throwing to hitters in either a live batting practice, but Roberts said another bullpen session is likely before Hill faces hitters. A rehab start would probably follow.
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