Dodgers’ Jack Flaherty Dealing With Swollen Wrist From Comebacker

The Los Angeles Dodgers will square off against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a four-game series starting Friday in Phoenix and the rotation plan is still up in the air.

Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone are scheduled to start the first two games. Jack Flaherty is lined up to start Monday on five days’ rest. Officially, Sunday’s starter is listed as “TBA.”

The Dodgers have tried to avoid starting pitchers on four days’ rest all season. The extra day gives Flaherty’s wrist another day to recover after taking a comebacker off it Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles.

According to manager Dave Roberts, Flaherty’s wrist was sore on Wednesday, but the swelling was minimal. It’s not expected to impact his availability for Monday’s start.

Justin Wrobleski is lined up to start Sunday for Triple-A Oklahoma City and would appear to be the most likely candidate to start the game. Teams can add a 14th pitcher and position player to their rosters starting Sunday, so no corresponding move would be required to promote Wrobleski.

The 24-year-old left-hander is 1-1 with a 4.68 ERA in five starts for the Dodgers this season.

“I’m not sure,” Roberts said of the Sunday starter. “I don’t want to speak to that yet because if so it calls for a drop-in. We’re kind of talking about that right now.”

Flaherty took a comebacker off the bat of Baltimore’s leadoff batter Colton Cowser on Wednesday night. It also happened to be the at-bat directly after he allowed a two-run home run to the No. 9 hitter, Ramón Urías.

Two pitches that he would like to have back.

“I’m not trying to throw it there,” said Flaherty, who dropped to a knee in frustration as Urías’ ball sailed out to left field. “Just need to get it more to the outer half and get it down away. In there is where he can handle it and he put a good swing on it. Doesn’t always happen. Hitting’s hard. But … you want to make a better pitch there.”

Flaherty has been solid for the Dodgers since coming over from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline.

He has three wins in his five starts with a 3.49 earned run average and 34 strikeouts.

“What Jack’s done,” Roberts said, “has been everything we had hoped.”

The Dodgers might need Flaherty to do a little bit more as they are still without starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow as they head into the final stretch of the regular season and into the postseason.

“Yeah, there have been a few outings where you’re like ‘Man, I wish we could have that pitch back,’” Roberts acknowledged. “But he’s throwing the ball really well for us.”

Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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