Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds 2021: Reside updates, rating, odds

David Price

(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

Dodger Stadium was empty on Monday afternoon, except for a few players doing some field practice, when Dodgers Bullpen coach Josh Bard gathered his eight helpers in left field for an encouraging conversation.

Bard spoke briefly to the group. The relief corps had blown a lead of six runs less than 24 hours earlier in a marathon loss against the San Diego Padres. It was a new day. In the end, they all put their hands in the middle and broke up the group for their pre-game workouts.

The composition of the group told part of the story of the Dodgers’ recent troubles. Joe Kelly, Tony Gonsolin and Corey Knebel weren’t there. You are all on the list of injured for the foreseeable future. David Price was also absent. Minutes later, Price officially joined them.

The news was awaited after manager Dave Roberts announced Price had a strain on his outing on the Sunday following the loss, but the severity was unclear. On Monday, Roberts announced another dose of bad news: Price suffered from grade 2 exposure and will be absent for at least a few weeks.

“It depends on how David reacts,” said Roberts. “The nice thing is that he can still keep his arm moving and he’s determined to come back sooner rather than later, so we’ll see how it works out.”

With Price’s addition, the Dodgers have five players on the injured list they are expected to contribute in 2021.

Price put strain on his Achilles tendon after his third pitch on the seventh inning Sunday. He threw another 14 and gave up two runs, one deserved, before getting three outs.

Price’s performance didn’t change Roberts’ pitching plan. The Dodgers were still four runs ahead and the bullpen was close to three reliefs. Robert wanted the former Cy Young Award winner to log at least one more inning, if not the next two, to end the game after switching twice to get him up the hill.

Then Roberts found out about Price’s hamstring and those plans blew up and started a series of unfortunate events for the home team. The Padres scored two runs each in the next two innings to tie the game and another run in the 11th inning to win it against Garrett Cleavinger, the last available reliever in the Dodgers’ bullpen.

Price’s move to the injured list was part of a series of moves the Dodgers took ahead of Monday’s kick-off against the Cincinnati Reds.

Second baseman Gavin Lux (wrist) was activated from the list of injured, and aide Dennis Santana was put back on the COVID-19 list after looking into the side effects of his second dose of vaccine. Mitch White was called back to join the Bullpen while Cleavinger and outfielder DJ Peters were selected as an option for the alternate training venue.

Lux started on the second base on Monday after being added to the list of injured on April 19, retroactive to April 16, with an injury to his right wrist.

“We have to appreciate how much time he missed, which wasn’t a ton,” said Roberts. “But when I see the way his leg feels, for this series I expect him to be there every day.”

Roberts said White, a starter in the minor leagues, will be used as a reliever to cover two innings at a time. The 26-year-old White made his major league debut last season. He was handicapped in spring training by a shoulder injury that prevented him from appearing in a Cactus League and made him unavailable for the start of the season.

He joins a group that has been challenged for the first four weeks of the season, perhaps never more than on Sunday.