The Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday placed starting pitcher Dustin May on the 15-day injured list with low back tightness, meaning he will not be eligible to pitch again in the regular season.
The Dodgers believe they caught the ailment early enough for May to be available to them in the postseason, and that resting him now will allow him to be back in time for the start of the National League Division Series, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported.
The Dodgers, who already clinched a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage in the NLDS, begin postseason play Oct. 11.
May last pitched Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks and struggled throughout his sixth start since coming back from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander gave up five runs and a season-high seven hits in a season-low four innings. He struck out four and walked two. He threw twice as many pitches as Arizona counterpart Madison Bumgarner through the first three innings.
The Dodgers, who removed Craig Kimbrel on Friday as their closer and plan to handle the ninth inning by committee, are already without Walker Buehler (season-ending Tommy John surgery) and may also be without Blake Treinen, who is back on the injured list with issues in the same right shoulder that had kept him out since April. The Dodgers are resigned to the fact that they’re going to have to get very creative with the way they utilize their pitching staff.
The Dodgers recalled right-hander Andre Jackson in a corresponding move.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.