LOS ANGELES — Right-hander J.P. Feyereisen was just about to nod off Saturday morning when the phone rang. The clock read 12:45 a.m.
It was early but this was not the time to try to get back to sleep. That could wait; his pitching career was on the line.
Feyereisen was back in the Dodgers clubhouse Saturday after being recalled along with left-hander Nick Ramirez, while pitchers Bobby Miller and Connor Brogdon were placed on the injured list before the rain-delayed game against the San Diego Padres.
Feyereisen was optioned last month, along with Gus Varland and Landon Knack, to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
“It’s exciting to be with the guys again and get to see L.A. with fans in the stands,” said Feyereisen, whose only other time at Dodger Stadium was during the pandemic when fans weren’t allowed.
“It will be great to see fans in the stands and how it really is here,” he added.
After a rough outing in which he allowed three runs and struck out one in one inning during the Seoul Series, the Dodgers sent Feyereisen down to get more work.
While with the Tampa Bay Rays, he had surgery on his right throwing shoulder that was described as “general cleanup of the rotator cuff and labrum.”
After being acquired by the Dodgers, Feyereisen was sidelined for four months and needed a few more months to gain strength and get back on the mound. Feyereisen spent nearly all of the 2023 season rehabbing his shoulder.
“My arm feels great, I just think I hadn’t pitched in a year and half — haven’t pitched since June 3, 2022 — and I think they wanted me to get some work down in OKC,” Feyereisen said. “I can’t be mad about that. I just feel good that I’m still getting good outings and they still want me up here.”
Feyereisen appeared in four games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing three runs in 5.0 innings with five strikeouts.
BUEHLER ON TRACK TO PITCH
Walker Buehler’s third minor league rehab assignment start on Friday for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga was shortened to two innings after he was hit by a comebacker on his right hand.
The good news is that the ball struck his middle knuckle and didn’t cause lasting damage, Roberts said.
“He came out of it fine, and the plan is still to have him pitch Thursday, I just don’t know where yet,” Roberts said. “It could be OKC or at Rancho Cucamonga. We’ll go from there.”
The plan Friday was for Buehler to throw between 80-90 pitches, but he made just 27 before he got hit on a comebacker from Stockton first baseman Darlyn Montero. He remained in the game to complete the second inning, giving up a run on three hits and a walk without a strikeout.
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The minor injury could set back his season debut with the Dodgers as he gets additional rehab at the lower level.
HERNANDEZ REPLACES TAYLOR IN LEFT
As expected, Kiki Hernandez was penciled in to start in left field, replacing Chris Taylor, who had started in five of the Dodgers’ previous six games but had gone hitless during that stretch.
He started the season going 1 for 26 and Roberts apparently couldn’t justify keeping him in the lineup.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (LHP James Paxton, 2-0, 1.64 ERA) vs. Padres (RHP Yu Darvish 0-1, 3.86 ERA)
