Dodgers put RHP Kenta Maeda, INF Chase Utley on 10-day DL
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Kenta Maeda and infielder Chase Utley on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday.
Maeda was diagnosed with a mild left hip strain while Utley has a sprained left thumb. Right-hander Carlos Santana and ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte were recalled from Triple- A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
With Maeda headed to the disabled list, that makes four of the Dodgers’ five starters from their opening- day roster are sidelined with an injury. Also on the DL are Clayton Kershaw ( left biceps strain), Rich Hill ( left middle finger blister) and Hyun-Jin Ryu (left groin strain). Kershaw is expected to return from the DL on Thursday and start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Utley has just one start since May 22 and is in an 0-for-14 slump. Since getting two hits against Cincinnati on May 10, Utley is 2 for 29 over a 12-game stretch. He is batting just .137 over 51 at-bats in May.
Maeda was removed from his start Tuesday against the Phillies in the second inning. He received a visit on the mound from the team’s medical staff on consecutive batters and came out of the game after striking out pitcher Jake Arrieta. Manager Dave Roberts sounded optimistic that Maeda would miss just one start, but admitted that he would not rush his right-hander’s return.
“I felt the sensation at the end of my last outing and worked on it between starts,” Madea said through a team interpreter. “I thought I could pitch through it but as I was in a game situation, I felt it getting worse and worse and I think my teammates and coaches started to realize that.”