With Ryu out, Beachy's signing is that much more important

Remember when the Dodgers signed Brandon Beachy to a one-year, $2.75 million contract back in February?

No?

Well, take my word for it, because they did.  And it's a good thing, too, considering the news from today concerning another one of their starters.

Hyun-Jin Ryu has opted for shoulder surgery on Thursday, all but ending any chance he pitches in 2015.  Never say never, but I haven't read a thing yet that makes me even somewhat optimistic that he'll be toeing the rubber come this postseason.  It ain't gonna happen, folks.

So, this is where the Dodgers start to scramble with Ryu and Brandon McCarthy already KO'd for the year.  They've gotten good starts out of rookies Carlos Frias (3-1, 2.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) and Mike Bolsinger (2-0, 1.04, 1.10).  In fact, those are very good numbers, so it's hard to expect them to stay that way.  That's not to say they can't pitch well, but numbers that low can't be counted on over and over.

That leads us back to Beachy, who's showing signs of fighting back from his second Tommy John surgery in three years.  He hasn't pitched since August of 2013, so you can understand just how long a road he's been on in pitching again.  His most recent step came a few days ago when he tossed two innings of a simulated game pain free.

At the time, I don't think anyone could've expected Beachy to be so important this early in the season, but he is.  In 46 career starts with the Braves, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 K's in 267 2/3 IP.  Those numbers are very promising, and you can see why the Dodgers were willing to take a chance on him.

What's next in the recovery process for Beachy?  According to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles,com, he's expected to go on a rehab assignment soon.  Assuming that all goes well, then it's very possible we'll see him with the big club in June.

That's a best case scenario, and considering how fragile his arm has been in the past, we'll have just wait and see how he responds after increasing his workload each start.

But let's stay positive here and say that all does go well.  Beachy can then slot himself right into the back end of the rotation over the summer and give a nice boost.  It'll be hard to match Ryu's consistency, but as long as he can keep his WHIP low, the much-improved Dodgers' defense can help him in a big way.

The bottom line is to keep your eye on Beachy over the next few weeks.  If he's feeling good and getting hitters out, he can be just what the Dodgers need in June.

Dodgers add Beachy with an eye towards the 2nd half

The Dodgers continued adding new pieces to their starting rotation today by signing Brandon Beachy to a one-year, $2.75 million deal with a club option for 2016.  He won't be needed until later in the season as he continues his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery last March.

On paper, this looks like a good move, as the Dodgers can only hope he can give them an added boost later on in the season.  In a way, it reminds me of when they signed Brian Wilson at the trade deadline in 2013, who then went on to be a huge piece of the bullpen down the stretch.  Of course, he completely fell apart in 2014, but for a brief run, he was great.

Beachy certainly has some good numbers in his past appearances with the Braves, albeit in only 46 starts thanks to two TJ surgeries already.  For his career, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 strikeouts in 267 2/3 innings pitched.

Now he can rest and rehab with his surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who just happens to be based in LA.  That turned out to be a key factor in Beachy's decision in coming to the West Coast, so hey, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

If Beachy can come back at full strength, then based on his past success in the National League, this move could turn out be like a deadline deal, only without needing to give anyone up to get him.  Also, he gives added insurance in case Brett Anderson can't shake the injury bug himself.  Beachy could very well end up trading off with Anderson in the second half of the season.

Keep Beachy's name in mind as the summer months of June and July begin heating up.