Dustin May had not a problem having the first couple of attacks against Arizona Diamondbacks hitters Wednesday evening.
Putting all of them away, but became a nightmarish adventure for Dodgers right-hander however attempting to rediscover their means in a return from Tommy John surgery.
In a 6-1 loss at Dodger Stadium, May used up their most readily useful start of period with one of is own worst, quitting five works over four shaky ins in that he in addition strolled two batters, struck one together with seven guys achieve base from a two-strike matter.
“I set myself up for failure, walking guys and giving up contact,” May stated. “It was just overall bad.”
Before Wednesday, it showed up May had been going closer to a starting place in the Dodgers’ playoff rotation, many thanks to an uptick in overall performance, including five no-hit innings contrary to the San Francisco Giants a week ago, and because beginning games could possibly be simpler on their surgically repaired shoulder.
“Being a young pitcher, [coming off] Tommy John, first year back, to kind of give him as much opportunity to have success preparation-wise, routine-wise, obviously that makes the most sense,” manager Dave Roberts said pregame. “Is it cemented? I’d probably stop short of that. But that’s most plausible.”
To be counted on in the playoffs, however, the 25-year-old will have to avoid outings like Wednesday’s.
In the first inning, May had leadoff hitter Daulton Varsho in a 2-and-2 count before walking him on a low curveball and high sinker.
With two outs, and Varsho at second after a stolen base, May had Christian Walker in a 1-and-2 hole, only to throw a wide fastball and a low curve that left the count full. He then threw an elevated sinker Walker dumped into left for a broken-bat RBI single.
A similar sequence played out in the third inning. Jake McCarthy was in a 1-and-2 count with two outs, but then laid off a couple of curveballs and a cutter to draw a walk. Moments later, he stole second, then scored on an RBI single by Walker.
In the fourth inning, May’s night snowballed out of control.
After Carson Kelly doubled, Geraldo Perdomo singled on an 0-and-2 fastball and Varsho was hit by a 0-and-2 curveball to load the bases.
May tried to start the next batter, Corbin Carroll, with an elevated cutter but missed his spot low and over the plate. Carroll smoked it, sending a double into the gap that scored three runs to make it 5-0 before the Dodgers had even recorded a hit (they finished with only three, getting a lone run on Mookie Betts’ 35th home run).
“It’s just one of those games,” Roberts said. “Clean game. We just got beat.”
Unlike some of May’s other blunders since returning to the active roster, his problems Wednesday were less about command and more about conviction, with Roberts citing possible problems with pitch selection and plan of attack.
“With Dustin, it’s not just about stuff,” Roberts stated, noting that, also on per night May’s near triple-digit velocity had been great, their propensity of “trying to bully guys” together with his fastball “gets to be too predictable.”
“Just to continue to understand how to use his mix the right way, I think will prove beneficial,” Roberts included. “Obviously, time is of the essence. There’s only a couple more starts to clean that stuff up. But that’s on all of us to do.”
Indeed, the time clock is ticking for May to get correct.
He has actually flashed prominence in certain cases in 2010 but stays contradictory today six begins into their return.
He insisted he actually seems good and it is “at the point now where I feel comfortable with everything,” he stated. “I just need to go out and execute.”
For the Dodgers to rely on him in the playoffs, do they require to see even more persistence across last little while?
“Absolutely,” Roberts stated.
Pitching revisions
Every time, Roberts industries a familiar round of concerns during their pregame scrum, pushed regarding the condition of staff’s approximately six hurt pitchers.
And each and every day, with all the playoffs inching ever before closer, their revisions tend to be liable to modification, delivering unexpectedly great news for a few, and progressively unpleasant development for other people.
Wednesday had been no various.
After saying for all times that right-hander Blake Treinen would-be triggered Thursday, Roberts had to backtrack, exposing that reliever’s balky neck is “just not bouncing back the way any of us would have hoped” which their condition for October stays unsure .
“He played catch today and we’ll see how he comes out of that,” Roberts stated. “We’ll just kind of kick the can a little bit.”
There had been great news blended into Roberts’ mid-day speak to reporters. He stated right-hander Brusdar Graterol would-be triggered Thursday as an alternative, offering the reliever an earlier-than-anticipated return from an elbow concern which had held him sidelined considering that the beginning of September.
The Dodgers tend to be optimistic Tony Gonsolin (forearm) and Dave Price (wrist) get closer to comes back also. They will both face hitters Thursday in what’s going to be a particularly crucial action for Gonsolin, who’s running-out of the time to take to to return in the full beginner’s capability.
“I’ve currently chatted to Tony about, No. 1, getting him straight back pitching,” Roberts said. “And once we get to that point, then we’ll decide what role makes the most sense. So he’s open to whatever.”
Roberts said if Thursday goes well for Gonsolin, he could begin a rehab assignment as soon as next week.
Still, Treinen’s latest setback was the most concerning piece of news to emerge, with Roberts saying that the right-hander — who was originally expected to be one of the Dodgers’ most important relievers before suffering a shoulder injury in mid-April that has limited him to only five appearances all season — is still not a guarantee to be ready for October.
“I would say there’s still an ‘if,'” Roberts stated.
This tale initially showed up in Los Angeles Times.