Dodgers: Joc Pederson and Dustin May essentially recovered

One positive from the delayed 2020 season is it allows players, like Joc Pederson and Dustin May, to get healthy without missing any regular season action.

Joc Pederson and Dustin May have completed their rehab process from spring injuries and are essentially recovered, according to Dodgers general manager Andrew Freidman, and as reported by Bill Plunkett.

Pederson was shutdown in late February due to soreness in his right hip/side. He was diagnosed with a strain shortly after arriving to camp. While it wasn’t expected that Pederson would miss Opening Day, originally scheduled for March 26, the issue did linger longer than expected. Pederson eventually returned to spring action before everything was shutdown, while still experiencing some discomfort.

The 27-year-old has had a whirlwind few months, as it appeared he was headed down the freeway to Anaheim in a trade with Ross Stripling, before the deal fell through. Coming off a career-high 36 home run season, the left-hander could still enter into a platoon role this season with a healthy AJ Pollock.

Dustin May had just resumed playing catch before baseball activities were halted. His spring action was limited after experiencing soreness on his side during the first day of camp. May had entered the spring as a starting pitcher, after working as both a starter and reliever for the Dodgers last season. The 22-year-old prospect, if he remains a starter in 2020, will probably begin the season in Triple-A, unless an injury to another starter presents an opportunity for him to join the rotation.

Friedman updated reporters via Zoom video on what would have been Opening Day of the 2020 season. He said, “I hadn’t even heard of it two weeks ago and now it’s as much aa part of my life as anything.” Beyond an update on Pederson and May, he said that he isn’t aware of any players on the Dodgers being tested positive for the coronavirus. Freidman expects a second Spring Training will take place whenever baseball activities resume, but was unwilling to venture a guess as to how long it would be.