Six Dodgers pitchers start the season on the injured list

In trimming down the roster, among the final moves made by the Dodgers to get down to 28 active players for opening day, three pitchers were added to the injured list to start the season.

All were expected, with Caleb Ferguson and Tommy Kahnle landing on the 10-day IL on Thursday while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In addition, Victor González was placed on the 10-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.

They join the trio of pitchers already on the 60-day injured list — Dustin May, who on Saturday threw his first bullpen session since last year’s Tommy John surgery; Jimmy Nelson, recovering from both Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair in his right elbow, and Danny Duffy, who missed the final two-plus months of 2021 and had flexor tendon surgery in October.

The earliest May, Nelson, and Duffy could be activated is June 6, though all are expected to miss more time than that.

Of the group of pitchers on the 10-day injured list, Ferguson pitched the most this spring, appearing in three Cactus League games. The Dodgers want to be mindful of the workload of the left-hander, who missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery in September 2020. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Arizona on March 30 that Ferguson was unlikely to make the opening day roster.

Kahnle had his Tommy John surgery in August 2020, and also missed all of 2021. The right-hander signed a two-year, $4.75 million contract with the Dodgers prior to last season, one that pays him $3.45 million in 2022. Kahnle was behind in spring training and didn’t pitch in any exhibition games in Arizona. He said he plans to use April as his spring training of sorts before joining the Dodgers.

González landing on the IL was unexpected after a strong spring training, striking out six in his five innings. He came into camp this season in better shape than last year and drew raves in the Cactus League.

The Dodgers also optioned Phil Bickford to Triple-A Oklahoma City to finalize the roster.

Bickford made his spring debut with a scoreless inning on Saturday at Camelback Ranch. He experienced arm soreness before camp started, and spent the bulk of his spring training playing catch-up. The right-hander was a bright spot in the Dodgers bullpen last season after getting claimed off waivers in May, posting a 2.50 ERA and 29.5-percent strikeout rate in 56 games.