With the Major League Baseball season coming down to its final month, we are in for some exciting moments to close out the year. Multiple teams in each league have what it takes to win the World Series, but only one will come out on top.
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One of the better teams in baseball this year has been the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite the organization being hit with all sorts of injuries throughout the year. Especially within the pitching staff, Los Angeles has figured out some way to withstand all the issues and prevail forward.
The Dodgers have been without one of their aces for an extended time but could soon be getting him back. Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto seems to be on track to return to the starting rotation in September.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke with reporters on Friday and provided the update.
“I think so,” Roberts said when asked if that expectation was fair. “Yeah, if it’s the three innings, and then he goes out and does three or four innings on rehab, and then we’ll be able to make a decision.”
Yamamoto has been out since he suffered a strained rotator cuff in June. He had just started to put everything together on the mound so his injury was unfortunate.
However, it seems that we could be seeing the rookie right-hander back on the mound fairly soon. The rookie threw 17 pitches in a bullpen session on Aug. 10, before the Dodgers’ series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“The feeling was pretty good,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “Everything is starting to come all together.”
Yamamoto was amid a potential Rookie of the Year award season, posting an ERA of 2.92 and a record of 6-2 over 14 starts. In his last start before the injury occurred, Yamamoto shut the New York Yankees down in Yankee Stadium, going seven scoreless innings, while also striking out seven batters.
Getting him back on the mound could be the difference between the Dodgers truly competing for the World Series or falling short once again. Yamamoto was one of the biggest offseason signings this past winter, landing with Los Angeles on a 12-year deal that was worth $325 million.
If he can return to form for the Dodgers and get a few starts in before the postseason starts, Los Angeles could be extremely dangerous in the playoffs.
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