Dodgers lead in days lost to injured list for third straight season, including 8 of 11 NLDS pitchers

NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers led the major leagues for the third straight year in days on the injured list, including stints for eight of their 11 pitchers in the NL Division Series, while the Detroit Tigers had the biggest increase and the San Francisco Giants the biggest drop.

The defending World Series champion Dodgers used the IL 37 times for 2,585 days, according to Major League Baseball. They led last year with 2,219 days and in 2023 with 2,465 after finishing with the sixth-highest total in 2022.

“It certainly speaks to the way the front office can kind of add depth and navigate the waiver wire on the development side,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’ve had some young guys cut their teeth that probably weren’t ready but had to rise to opportunities.”

Dodgers with lengthy IL stays this year included pitchers Brusdar Graterol, Michael Grove, Kyle Hurt, River Ryan and Gavin Stone (195 days each), Evan Phillips (178), Tony Gonsolin (159), Michael Kopech (156), Roki Sasaki (137), Blake Snell (121), Edgardo Henriquez and Blake Treinen (102 apiece), Emmet Sheehan (92), Tyler Glasnow (72) and Clayton Kershaw (60).

Los Angeles pitchers on the Division Series roster who had IL stints included Glasnow (right shoulder inflammation), Kershaw (foot and knee surgery), Sasaki (right shoulder impingement), Sheehan (right elbow surgery), Snell (left shoulder inflammation) and Treinen (right forearm tightness). They were joined by Tanner Scott (31 days for left elbow inflammation) and Alex Vesia (17 days for right oblique strain).

The only currently active Los Angeles pitchers not on the IL this year are Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

“Early on, the starting pitching was very patchworky. And then later on the ‘pen and fortunately the positional player group, for the most part, has been intact,” Roberts said. “Guys have stepped up. And for us to keep going says a lot about the organization.”

In early July, the Dodgers had 12 pitchers on the IL.

Houston was second with 2,310 IL days, followed by the New York Mets (2,279), Baltimore (2,123) and Boston (2,064).

Detroit had the biggest increase in IL days from 2024, rising by 1,087 to 1,811. The Mets increased by 921 to 2,279, the Orioles by 887 to 2,123 and Toronto by 855 to 1,508.

Just four teams had fewer than 1,000 IL days: Philadelphia (442), St. Louis (513), San Francisco (749) and Minnesota (898).

The biggest drops were by San Francisco (falling 908 to 749), the Twins (by 721) Cardinals (by 678), Phillies (by 581) and Texas (by 513).

Philadelphia had the fewest IL placements with 16, and St. Louis and Seattle had 18 apiece.

Overall, MLB totaled 826 placements and 44,372 days, up from 784 placements and 43,253 days in 2024 but down from 848 placements and 44,661 days in 2023.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB