The injury bug that bit the New York Yankees earlier this season must be attracted to high payrolls. It is now feasting on the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have lost yet another starting pitcher to injury. Chad Billingsley will need Tommy John surgery and is going to miss the remainder of the season.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the injury is "just unfortunate." Billingsley, who was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA was scheduled to start last Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles but was placed on the disabled list because of elbow trouble. Billingsley will join Zack Greinke (broken collarbone), Chris Capuano (calf) and Ted Lilly (shoulder) on the crowded disabled list. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez is also sidelined with a broken thumb.
Billingsley hurt his elbow in August of last season and was shut down in September, opting to recover via rehabilitation and platelet-rich plasma injections. He was healthy enough to begin the season, but his elbow pain resurfaced earlier this month.
'I think he was pretty confident coming into the spring. He had a great winter and was able to throw,'' Mattingly said. ''I think he was more confident than we were.'' Mattingly also said he didn't know if the Dodgers doctors regretted not recommending surgery more strongly following his initial injury. 'I can't really speak for the medical department,'' he said. ''You can't make a guy do anything. The fact that it was working was encouraging to him.''
Billingsley has had his ups and downs in his eight-year career, with his best season coming in 2008 when he posted a 16-10 record with a 3.10 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. He hasn't topped 12 wins since the 2008 campaign, however, and his strikeout prowess has often been undermined by his propensity to walk batters (nearly four walks per game for his career).
Billingsley is in the second year of a three-year, $35 million deal he signed in 2011.
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