The return of Walker Buehler after a nearly two-year recovery from Tommy John surgery is expected to boost the Dodgers rotation, but the bullpen took another hit when veteran right-hander Joe Kelly was placed on the 15-day injured list because of a right posterior shoulder strain before Monday night’s game against the Miami Marlins.
The team announced the roster move about 30 minutes before first pitch, well after manager Dave Roberts addressed the media, so the severity of the injury was not immediately known.
The hard-throwing Kelly, in his 13th major league season, was placed on the IL three times in 2023, suffering a right-groin strain in April and right elbow inflammation in July with the Chicago White Sox and a right forearm strain in August with the Dodgers.