Dodgers right-hander Dustin Might underwent surgical procedure earlier this week to repair a tear in his esophagus, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reviews. The process will hold Might from returning to the sphere this season, as Passan writes that Might received’t have the ability to partake in any bodily exercise over the subsequent two months as a part of his restoration.
The esophageal tear didn’t happen on account of any baseball-related exercise, and Passan notes that “Might sought medical consideration for ache in his throat and abdomen,” which finally led to the surgical procedure. Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Occasions (X hyperlink) writes that Might felt a “sudden ache” whereas consuming dinner earlier this week.
Might had but to pitch in 2024, as he was nonetheless rehabbing from a flexor tendon surgical procedure that happened virtually precisely a 12 months in the past. Sadly, this newest damage occurred simply as Might was nearing a minor league rehab project, as he had already been collaborating in bullpen periods and different extra superior ramp-ups. Whereas he nonetheless would’ve required a prolonged minor league rehab stint to correctly construct up his arm, it was anticipated that Might could be again in some unspecified time in the future earlier than the top of the season. Returning as a reliever reasonably than as a starter, for example, would’ve allowed Might to get onto the mound a bit sooner, and he might’ve been a multi-inning aid weapon or an opener for Los Angeles throughout the playoffs — akin to his utilization throughout the Dodgers’ championship run in 2020.
The 2024 marketing campaign will now go down as a whole wash for Might, and the distinctive nature of this esophageal surgical procedure makes his newest restoration timeline unsure. Two months of shutdown from all bodily exercise will fully reset Might’s progress, so between the precise restoration course of hooked up to this surgical procedure after which a standard ramp-up interval, it isn’t clear if Might will likely be prepared for Opening Day 2025 or if he’ll one more prolonged setback in his younger profession.
The previous star prospect has a 3.10 ERA over 191 2/3 Main League innings from 2019-23, displaying glimpses of the potential that made him a highly-touted prospect throughout his time within the L.A. farm system. Might began 10 of 12 regular-season video games in 2020 earlier than primarily working as a reliever to assist the Dodgers win a hoop that 12 months, however a Tommy John surgical procedure then restricted him to 53 regular-season frames in 2021-22. Might threw 48 innings over 9 begins in 2023 (with a 2.63 ERA) earlier than the surgical procedures to repair each his flexor tendon and a Tommy John revision to handle a Grade 2 UCL sprain.
Whereas it appears as if Might’s profession has nonetheless but to totally launch, he turns 27 in September and has just one 12 months of arbitration eligibility remaining earlier than coming into free company following the 2025 season. It’s too quickly to write down off Might as a productive and efficient pitcher going ahead as soon as he recovers from his newest process, although three main surgical procedures in a four-year span is definitely as ominous signal for a pitcher who appeared like he was going to be a cornerstone of the Dodgers rotation this decade.
Within the brief time period, the Dodgers now know they received’t getting any 2024 assist from yet another of the 12 pitchers on their injured listing. The extremely lengthy listing consists of greater than a rotation’s price of potential starters, together with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Walker Buehler. All of that quartet are anticipated to return in some unspecified time in the future within the second half, whereas Might joins Emmet Sheehan and Tony Gonsolin within the season-ending damage group. (Shohei Ohtani might be thought of a thirteenth “pitcher” out of motion, as whereas Ohtani continues to excel as a chosen hitter, the two-way celebrity received’t pitch this season as he recovers from his personal elbow surgical procedure final fall.)
Unsurprisingly, Los Angeles has been closely linked to the beginning pitching market because the commerce deadline approaches, and it could be a shock if the Dodgers didn’t land no less than one additional arm to assist solidify this injury-plagued rotation. Shedding Might may not affect the Dodgers’ leverage all that a lot in commerce talks because it wasn’t clear how Might could be deployed or how a lot he’d pitch when he did return, but rival groups are certain to attempt to rating an enormous return to make the most of Los Angeles’ apparent want for additional pitching.
