Rockies @ Dodgers April 18, 2015: Puig is Back

All the other news can wait: Yasiel Puig is back! Puig hasn’t played since Monday, resting due to a tight hamstring. After so much confusion in the media reports regarding if he was closer to healthy or to the disabled list, it appears that it’s the former. Hopefully the Dodgers aren’t rushing him, though it’s good to see him back in the lineup. Andre Ethier has actually filled in admirably, and gets another start today. This time, it’s because Carl Crawford is ill. A bug going around a clubhouse actually seems like something to be a bit concerned about in the short term. Hopefully it goes away without getting anybody else sick, but Monday’s off day should help.

	Rockies			Dodgers
	6:10 p.m.			Los Angeles, Ca.
CF	Blackmon		SS	Rollins
RF	Gonzalez		RF	Puig
SS	Tulowitzki		1B	Gonzalez
1B	Morneau		2B	Kendrick
3B	Arenado		C	Grandal
LF	Dickerson		LF	Ethier
C	Hundley		3B	Uribe
2B	LeMahieu		CF	Pederson
P	Lyles (R)		P	Greinke (R)

Earlier today, I shared the data that shows that the bullpen has been as good as Kenley Jansen in Kenley Jansen’s absence. Still, there’s no substitute for the real thing. There was a positive development today: according to Ken Gurnick, Jansen threw off a mound for the first time since surgery. The lack of close bullpen games has helped ease the burden, but the performance of the relievers has been enough to get by so far.

Pedro Moura also passes along another interesting injury update. Brandon Beachy is on his way back from Tommy John surgery, and Moura shared that the Dodgers are using a radar gun to monitor every pitch through his recovery. The idea is that when they say “60-70% strength,” they hold the rehabbing player to that actual number. It’s an interesting idea. I’m not a doctor, but it seems like a good way to make sure that an athlete doesn’t overexert himself before his healing body is ready to do so.

Finally, the actual important news (at least for me): Mike Bolsinger might be on his way. The Dodgers don’t actually need a fifth starter again until next weekend, but could use Monday’s off day as extra rest for the regular starters. That would leave an opening for an extra starter on Wednesday, which would be Bolsinger’s turn in Oklahoma City. I wrote at ridiculous length about why Bolsinger’s normally uninspiring 89mph cutter and 80mph curveball mix was interesting, and that might get put to the test. So far he has been excelling in AAA. In two starts, he’s pitched eleven innings and has allowed no runs and three hits, while striking out 17 batters and walking just three. Not bad.

David Huff has cleared waivers and has accepted an assignment to AAA Oklahoma City. As a result, Huff will remain with the organization, but is off the 40 man roster.

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