Dodgers' Injured SP Michael Grove Nears Return, Could be Activated This Week

A bit of pitching help in the form of a healthy human body for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are primed to receive a much needed boost to the core of healthy and available pitchers as injured starter Michael Grove is nearing a return from the IL. Grove showed out in his second minor league rehab start over the weekend, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts and no walks.

That'll do it for Michael Grove tonight in the second start of his rehab assignment.

He throws 5.2 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/HbZn0OPcB4

— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) May 28, 2023

The rookie right-hander exited a start after 3 innings back on April 20th after straining his groin. He's been slow played on his return to action and is now set to rejoin the team as soon as they find a spot for him.

That spot will likely be the one that Gavin Stone is currently occupying. Neither pitcher has exceptionally great numbers this season with Grove sporting an 8.44 ERA over 4 starts, but that's 6 runs better than Stone's 14.40.

Dave Roberts confirmed Grove was a likely option.

“With the off days, it’s going to be a little interesting because guys are going to get their rest,” Robert said. “But Michael is in the mix. Michael is throwing the baseball well. We’ll see how it goes.”

During the early stages of the season, Grove made 4 starts for the Dodgers after earning a spot in the starting rotation during spring training. It's important to note that he faced some physical challenges during that period. Grove dealt with strep throat, which affected his stamina, but showed signs of improvement before his groin injury, allowing only 3 runs over his previous 8.2 innings.

Having built up to 77 pitches in his most recent rehab outing, Grove is ready to plug back into the rotation where he would make his next start against the Yankees at Dodger Stadium.

Grove owns a 5.96 ERA over 45.1 career innings at the big league level.