LOS ANGELES — Blake Snell’s return game is about to set off a shell game among the Dodgers’ starting rotation.
As if adding left-hander Tarik Skubal and getting the lefty Snell back in action Tuesday is not enough, more rotation changes will be under consideration after left-hander Eric Lauer makes his start Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals.
Also set to return in a little more than two weeks is right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is currently on a minor league rehab assignment that is expected to have just two more outings remaining.
“Eric (Lauer) is scheduled for Wednesday so we’ll kind of get through that and kind of figure out where we go from there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
The Dodgers planned on turning Lauer into a long man/spot starter out of the bullpen, but that was before right-hander Emmet Sheehan was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Without an off day until Aug. 20, Lauer’s spot in the rotation will come up again next Tuesday on the road against the Colorado Rockies.
It means that Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobleski and Skubal will be lined up for the key four-game home series that starts Thursday night against the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers.
Pending change could mean that Lauer comes back early to pitch the series opener in Colorado next week, giving Snell an extra day of rest. Or the staff could remain in line with Snell pitching in front of Lauer one more time.
An off day following the Colorado series and another one four days later would lead into Glasnow’s return, possibly during the Aug. 25-27 road series against the Atlanta Braves.
Roberts said Glasnow was recovering well after he gave up one run on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts for the Oklahoma City Comets on Sunday against the Salt Lake Bees.
“He’s going to do four (innings) and 60 (pitches), and then there’ll be a five and 75, and then hopefully three starts from now he’ll be back with us,” Roberts said.
Snell’s outing will be just his second of the season after he returned from a shoulder injury to give up five runs (four earned) over three innings against the Atlanta Braves on May 9. He was shut down again with loose bodies in his elbow, which required a surgical procedure.
On Tuesday, Snell is scheduled for five innings and somewhere between 75 and 80 pitches.
“I think if we can get him through five (Tuesday), which I know he expects, then I think we should be able to treat him like a normal starter given he has an extra day or two between those starts,” Roberts said.
The expectation is that Snell will be a key contributor on the postseason staff, looking to repeat his performance last October when he pitched well despite limited regular-season innings.
“I had a great conversation with him (Sunday),” Roberts said. “He’s on a mission. And I like when great, talented players have that mindset. He hasn’t, unfortunately, been a part of this whole season. But from here on out, it’s a sprint and he is very focused. And like I said, he’s on a mission.”
BULLPEN RESET
The Dodgers recalled a pair of relievers, adding right-hander Seth Halvorsen and left-hander Charlie Barnes. To open two spots on the roster, right-hander Jonathan Hernandez was designated for assignment, while right-hander Kyle Hurt was optioned to OKC.
Halvorsen, 26, was acquired on July 20 in a trade with the Rockies. He did not allow a run in six outings (6⅓ innings) at Triple-A. In three major league seasons, all with the Rockies, Halvorsen is 3-4 with a 4.31 ERA in 75 relief outings.
Barnes, 30, returned after he was optioned July 29 when right-hander Edwin Diaz was activated. He is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in four appearances for the Dodgers this season.
Hurt, 28, has a 4.46 ERA in 37 appearances (one start) this season, while Hernandez, 30, had a 6.45 ERA in 15 relief appearances.
ON HIS WAY
Catcher Will Smith, who has not played in a game since June 5, continues to make progress from neck inflammation while going through a hitting drill Monday.
“He’s been throwing, (doing) the weight room stuff each day,” Roberts said. “It’s been better, so this is going to be a big week for Will. And my expectation is that he should be taking some coaches’ batting practice at some point this week.”
Smith is still in need of a minor league rehab assignment, leaving him at least a few weeks away from a return. The three-time All-Star is batting .249 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 52 games this season.
ALSO
Right fielder Kyle Tucker was given a day off on Monday, with left fielder Teoscar Hernandez expected to get a day off Tuesday. The changes on Monday meant that Tommy Edman received his ninth start in left field this season, while Hernandez went to right for the third time.
UP NEXT
Royals (RHP Michael Wacha, 5-8, 3.44 ERA) at Dodgers (LHP Blake Snell, 0-1, 12.00 ERA), Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., Spectrum SportsNet, 570 AM, 1020 AM