Relief pitcher Evan Phillips of the Dodgers scheduled for season-ending Tommy John surgery.
Evan Phillips, a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery next week, effectively ending his season, according to manager Dave Roberts. The announcement came on Friday.
Phillips had been absent for the past three weeks due to forearm discomfort. Despite initial optimism that his recovery would only keep him out for the minimum 15 days on the injured list, his condition did not improve as anticipated.
"It's certainly disappointing," Roberts said, expressing a sense of surprise at the severity of the issue given its initial minor appearance. "Most disappointing for Evan, but he just wasn't responding to rest and attempts to ramp up."
Phillips, 30, had begun the season on the injured list while recovering from a partially torn rotator cuff sustained during last year's postseason. He returned in late April but was injured during the Dodgers' trip to Miami in early May.
At the time of his initial placement on the injured list, Phillips stated, "I still feel like I can contribute, but we don't want to mess around with something in early May."
General manager Brandon Gomes noted that, despite plasma-rich platelet injections, Phillips' arm did not feel right as he resumed throwing. "As we started getting into it, it wasn't responding," Gomes said. "We felt like this could be a possibility. So as he got deeper into the process and it wasn't getting better, the decision to do it was pretty much evident."
Prior to his injury, Phillips had recorded seven scoreless appearances this season, carrying a 2.22 ERA and 45 saves over five seasons with the Dodgers. His absence will create a notable void in the Dodgers' rotation, as they have already been without Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates, and Brusdar Graterol due to injuries.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers faced the New York Yankees in a rematch of the 2024 World Series. The Yankees expressed eagerness to avenge their previous defeat, especially considering the Dodgers' apparent amusement at the Yankees' mistakes that sealed their World Series win. Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge both hit home runs, but the Dodgers prevailed 8-5 in the end.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the loss of such a trusted right-handed arm: "Any time you lose a pitcher of that quality, both on the field and the impact he has around the other guys, obviously it's going to hurt." The Dodgers have already addressed the gap by acquiring former Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Díaz in a trade.
Shortstop Mookie Betts was also absent for the Dodgers during the series opener against the Yankees due to a fractured toe. Betts suffered the injury by bumping his toe against a wall at home while walking to the bathroom in the dark. He was initially expected to play, but struggled to put on his cleats before the game. Roberts stated that Betts is not expected to go on the injured list and should return within a couple of days.
- Evan Phillips' scheduled Tommy John surgery next week means he will miss the rest of the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a blow to the team, particularly in the sports domain of baseball, and especially considering their impressive performance in the MLB.
- Despite his initial return to the Dodgers' lineup in late April, Phillips had to be reinjured during the team's road trip in Miami, marking another setback in his season for the California-based team.
- With the Dodgers already dealing with injuries to Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates, and Brusdar Graterol, the acquisition of Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds could help fill the void left by the loss of Evan Phillips, a reliable right-handed pitcher, amidst the heightened competition of the sports world, particularly Major League Baseball.
