Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bud Norris left Sunday’s contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a back injury, per an announcement from the team.
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Norris Dealing with Muscle Tightness
Sunday, July 31
The Dodgers shared an image of the pitcher leaving the field Sunday:
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported Norris will have to go through a bullpen session before knowing if he'll be able to make his next scheduled start.
Norris pitched a mere 0.1 innings and allowed an earned run and a walk before leaving Sunday’s contest.
Ross Stripling entered the game for Norris as a long reliever who can also start and eat up innings. Stripling is a potential candidate to shoulder more of the load until Norris is ready to return because of his ability to serve as a spot starter (eight starts in 2016) or in middle relief.
Los Angeles acquired Norris from the Atlanta Braves via trade in June after it placed ace Clayton Kershaw on the disabled list. What’s more, Alex Wood is on the 60-day DL, which increased the need to add someone such as Norris at the time.
Entering play Sunday, Norris had 28 appearances for the Dodgers and Braves this season with a 4.27 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 99 innings. He struggled in 2015 (6.72 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres) but was an effective starter in 2014 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 28 starts for Baltimore.
Norris’ injury is exacerbated by the fact the Dodgers can ill afford any more setbacks in their starting rotation.
Three-time Cy Young winner Kershaw is suffering from a herniated disk, and the team is unsure if or when he will return for the 2016 campaign. With Wood also out, Shaikin said the Dodgers are expecting Brett Anderson to make two additional rehab starts before joining the team.
It raises the question whether they will attack Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline with even more aggression following Norris’ injury. Shaikin said Sunday's setback means “additional urgency” for the search.
Los Angeles is two games back of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West. However, the Giants are 3-7 in their last 10 games, which has allowed Los Angeles to make up some ground despite the injury concerns. The Dodgers were 4-2 in their previous six contests before Sunday’s game.
Unless the Dodgers acquire anyone before the deadline, they will likely rely on pitchers such as Stripling, Kenta Maeda and Scott Kazmir until the injury woes subside.
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