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| Chad Billingsley has thrown his last pitch for 2012. (Getty Images) |
The Dodgers have moved right-hander Chad Billingsley to the 60-day disabled list, which effectively ends his season.
Billingsley had been on the 15-day disabled list since Aug. 25 with elbow inflammation, the same injury that sidelined him for two weeks back in July. Now, it's been determined that he has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. As Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports, if rehabilitation doesn't work, then Billingsley will be facing Tommy John surgery.
Lefty reliever Steven Rodriguez will replace Billingsley on the roster.
Initially, the Dodgers had hoped that Billingsley would be able to return in time to make a handful of stretch-drive starts, but now that's not going to happen.
He'll be missed. On the season, Billingsley has a 3.55 ERA in 149 2/3 innings, and since the break he's posted an ERA of 1.80 across seven starts. With starters like Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang trending downward in the second half (badly in Capuano's case), the Dodgers could certainly use Billingsley. So the lack of quality options behind Clayton Kershaw -- a concern even after all the trade activity -- will remain a concern.
That concern might stretch into 2013 if Billingsley is indeed facing reconstructive surgery.
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