May 29th, 2017 at 10:10 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is zero question that the most important player on the Dodgers team is three-time Cy Young award winner and 2014 National League MVP Clayton Kershaw, and we all remember how him landing on the disabled list last season for a mild disk herniation in his lower back affected the team, not to mention Dodger fans. Thankfully, the future Hall of Famer made it back in time to help lead the Dodgers to their fourth consecutive NL West title.
On Monday morning the Dodgers placed arguably the second-most important player on the Dodgers team – Alex Wood – on the 10-day disabled list for left Sternoclavicular (SC) Joint inflammation. Here is the official press release from the Dodgers:
The Los Angeles Dodgers today selected the contract of right-hander Brandon Morrow and placed left-handed pitcher Alex Wood on the 10-day disabled list with left SC joint inflammation (retroactive to May 27).
Morrow, 32, has posted a 1.74 ERA (2 ER/10.1 IP) in his last 10 appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 0-2 with three saves since April 27. Overall, Morrow was 0-5 with six saves and a 5.71 ERA with OKC, but most of the damage came in a single outing on April 22 vs. Memphis, when he allowed six runs without recording an out. Morrow, who is in his first year with the Dodger organization, has gone 45-43 with 16 saves and a 4.16 ERA in 254 games (113 starts) in 10 big league seasons, including going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 18 appearances last year with San Diego.
Wood, 26, has the longest scoreless streak in the Majors this year at 25.1 innings and has gone 6-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 10 games (eight starts).
To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred right-hander Brock Stewart (right shoulder tendinitis) to the 60-day DL.
It’s hard to argue that Alex Wood’s unorthodox delivery is anything other than “funky,” as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts calls it. But could it be the cause of his left SC joint inflammation?
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
While this news may not be as devastating as if it were Kershaw returning to the DL, the painful truth (literally for Alex Wood) is that Wood’s current 1.69 ERA is better than Kershaw’s current 2.37 ERA, albeit not by much. But what is impossible to ignore is Wood’s current 25.1 consecutive scoreless innings streak, the longest in all of baseball right now.
The caveat to all of this is that the Dodgers have already shown that they are not hesitant to utilize MLB’s new 10-day DL rule to basically give their players – especially pitchers – a little extra rest by having them miss a start before returning them to the 25-man roster. And while this is perfectly acceptable under the new MLB provisions, it seems a bit of a stretch that they would do this with the guy who currently owns the best ERA in all of baseball. That being said, you can bet that Dodger fans everywhere are hoping and praying that this is exactly the case with Alex Wood.
Stay tuned…
* * * UPDATE * * *
Well, there’s this:
Posted in 
This team is built to withstand an injury from anyone. What would have made me sweat bullets two years ago doesn’t even phase me anymore. i think the Kershaw injury last year is what broke me in. Granted an injury is never good and I obviously hope the club doesn’t have any injuries going into October because that is a different game and every inning is precious. But as long as everyone doesn’t get hurt this team is built to weather any storm and will reach its destination (the postseason). I’m not worried about that one bit. It’s what they do once they get there. So does it suck to lose Alex Wood for a start? Yeah for sure! However the team is so deep that one start will hardly be noticed and in the long run shutting a pitcher down for the minorest of injuries to make sure they don’t injure themselves further and have lots left in the tank for October seems like a good strategy to me. The Dodgers have a 40 man roster plus others not even on it that has to make other teams sick because nearly all of them could start somewhere. That’s a problem that I love the Dodgers have.
You have some good points. There’s a lot to be impressed about this team. When Kersh went down last year the whole team stepped up to the plate (both literally and metaphorically) and they actually were playing better.
We have players who passed up better offers to remain as Dodgers. Kenley and Chase. I think JT also, though I don’t know of any confirmation.
There seems to be no complaining or conflict about each player’s role. Kenley commented that he thought 4 out saves were impressive ’til Hyun-Jin got a 4 inning save. When Stripling got a 3 out save Kenley asked (in jest) if he was still the closer.
Stripling has a typical long reliever’s batting line (sort of): 0 for 5, 3 strike outs, 0 walks, 2 runs scored.
Chris Taylor is learning CF under real game conditions. First batter sends him back to the wall to make an impressive catch.
On any big play the camera can pan to RF to see Puig, formerly a source of contention,applauding his teammate.
This is a team of winners.