Dodgers activate Joe Kelly from Injured List

The Dodgers’ bullpen will be getting a little bit stronger this weekend, as the club will be activating right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly from the injured list. In the move, the Dodgers will be placing left-handed pitcher Scott Alexander on the IL with left shoulder inflammation, retroactive to May 3.

Although it’s great the Dodgers are getting another arm back, it certainly isn’t ideal seeing another arm hit the IL with an injury.

This will be Kelly’s first time with the club this season, after missing the first 32 games. He didn’t appear in Spring Training, and many were wondering if there was anything going on behind the scenes. Well, last week we found out a little bit more about the severity of his injury.

During an interview with WEEI radio in Boston, Kelly said he had “fairly significant” right shoulder surgery on November 10, performed by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Kelly explained the timeline:

“We found some cysts,” Kelly explained. “My shoulder hasn’t been good since the end of 2019. But during my suspension after the thing with the Astros (early August) my arm was super weak. If I was laying on a table I couldn’t lift my arm past gravity. They asked me how long it was going on for and I told them forever. I couldn’t sleep at night and it felt like fire ants were eating my arm from the inside-out.”

So during his eight-game suspension, the Dodgers set up an MRI for Kelly. It turned out a “massive” cyst was growing on Kelly’s nerve, allowing him to pitch with 50 percent of the muscles in his shoulder.

It will definitely be an encouraging sight seeing him back on the mound. Who knows, maybe his presence will be what sparks a Dodgers rally and helps pick them up some wins?