In an unlikely, yet not too surprising turn of events, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Brett Anderson is set to undergo back surgery on Thursday and is expected to miss the first three to five months of the 2016 MLB season, manager Dave Roberts told reporters.
The surgery will address a bulging disk in his back, which was something that he addressed back in 2014 after making just eight starts with the Colorado Rockies. An MRI on Wednesday revealed the bulging disk. Dr. Chris Yeung will perform the surgery in Phoenix, Ariz.
Anderson, 28, accepted the Dodgers qualifying offer earlier in the offseason and is scheduled to earn $15.8 million during the 2016 season. The left-hander has never registered back-to-back healthy campaigns in his seven-year MLB career.
The pitcher went to Twitter after the news was reported by a number of writers and outlets. "Definitely not the start I wanted for this season but hopefully it just means a better ending," he wrote.
The Dodgers were hoping that the veteran would build off his successful 2015 campaign, during which he went 10-9 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 31 starts (180-1/3 innings). He logged a career-high in starts in a single season, which were his most since his rookie year back in 2009.
The lefty felt discomfort in his lower back earlier this week after throwing a live-batting practice session at the Dodgers' spring training facility, which prompted his Wednesday MRI. His prolonged absence could open the door for a number of other starters on the Dodgers' roster.
Lefty Alex Wood is now likely guaranteed a spot in the rotation while Brandon Beachy, Mike Bolsnger and Carlos Frias could compete for the No. 5 spot. Roberts also said prospects Ross Stripling and Jose De Leon would be "considered" for rotation depth.
Despite losing Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers front office did a good job adding depth to the rotation this offseason in re-signing Anderson and adding Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda. The team also hopes that Hyun-Jin Ryu will be ready to go early on in 2016 as he recovers from shoulder surgery (assuming his recent discomfort is nothing to worry about). Brandon McCarthy should also return near the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year.
De Leon and Julio Urias could be the two prospects that benefit most from the team's injuries in the starting rotation, so look out for them to make their MLB debuts sooner rather than later.
The Dodgers don't have a shortage of pitching, but losing Anderson for this long certainly foils their plans a bit for 2016.
