Angels News: Former Manager Blames Dodgers For Pitching Injuries

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 18, 2024

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading into October with several starting pitchers on the injured list.

Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Stone, Dustin May, and Tyler Glasnow are all out, and it’s likely Glasnow won’t be back for the rest of the season.

That leaves the Dodgers pretty thin on proven arms as the postseason approaches. A preseason favorite to win the World Series, Los Angeles could now see its title hopes thwarted by injuries. Ascribing blame for the injuries is a touchy subject.

When former Angels manager Joe Maddon joined The Ricky Cobb Show on OutKick.com, Maddon did not necessarily pin the blame on one thing but he made it clear who's responsible for the injuries that depleted the Dodgers' postseason rotation.

Great chatting with Joe Maddon today, who talks about the value of managing in places like Idaho Falls, MLB rule changes, what happened during the Game 7 rain delay in the 2016 World Series, managing Shohei Ohtani, and more. Good stuff here, check it out:pic.twitter.com/hWBQSNoIRg

— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) September 16, 2024

“Right now I’m listening about the Dodgers and their concerns going into the postseason," Maddon told Cobb, the creator of Super 70s Sports. "They don’t have enough starters. And even if they did, they don’t pitch deeply into the game and then you’ve got a worn-out bullpen. It’s their own fault. Don’t blame it on anything else.”

The Dodgers have a history of signing pitchers with injury issues, so it’s not too shocking to see them sidelined again. Glasnow did manage to hit career highs this season with 22 starts and 168 strikeouts, but his innings totals in past years were held back mostly due to injuries.

In years past, he’s dealt with a torn UCL that needed Tommy John surgery, plus an oblique injury that’s kept him off the field.

Kershaw's return was delayed this season after he underwent offseason shoulder surgery. The Dodgers also knew May and Gonsolin would most likely be out for most or all of the season while recovering from their own elbow procedures.

Shohei Ohtani couldn’t pitch this season due to his second Tommy John surgery, and Walker Buehler was also recovering from his second Tommy John procedure.

Maddon also reiterated the fact that pitchers are no longer pitching. They are chasing velocity with poor form that put more strain on elbows and shoulders.

“Furthermore the chasing of velocity is really leading to a lot of injuries," Maddon said. "There’s some horrible pitching mechanics going on right now that are not spoken about. That’s why all these guys are blowing out all these elbows and shoulders.”

While Maddon seems to know where the injuries stem from, the Dodgers' front office doesn't.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes recently told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times that they wish they had more answers.

“I think, unfortunately, a lot of it stems back to, we don’t really know,” Friedman said.

“I wish I had more answers,” Gomes echoed, via Harris. “We just don’t know.”