GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Alex Wood figures he is just a pawn in a numbers game and there’s no point in complaining about it now.
“No clue. It’s out of my hands,” the Dodgers left-hander said when asked after Tuesday’s game where he thinks he will fit on the team’s season-opening roster.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday the final spot in the starting rotation would go to either Wood or veteran right-hander Brandon McCarthy with the other pitcher moving to the bullpen. If that decision was riding on Wood’s performance against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, he didn’t help his cause. The Reds scored runs in each of the first five innings and had 11 hits in six innings against Wood. Some were soft-contact hits – but 11 is still a lot of hits.
Wood’s fate was probably decided by other factors. Unlike McCarthy, the 26-year-old Wood has pitched out of the bullpen and been successful at it – a 2.85 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 35 relief appearances for the Braves (in 2013-14) and Dodgers (last season).
“Do you want me to say ‘No?’” Wood said with a laugh when he was asked Tuesday if he could handle relief duty again. “I mean, it is what it is. They’re going to do what they think is best for our team to win. If that’s where I end up, then that’s where I end up. It’s kind of beating a dead horse, talking about it.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who deserve to be in the rotation. It’s lucky and unlucky that I had success out of the bullpen when I first came up. It’s one of those things where if that’s what happens, that’s what happens. I’m sure if I don’t start in the rotation, I’ll end up in it at some point. It’s just – it is what it is.”
Roberts emphasized after Tuesday’s game that the final decision had not been made. But it appears clear that Wood will be the odd man out with Julio Urias also waiting in the wings.
“I think we know where we’re at,” Roberts said. “We’ve seen them, their track records and what fits for our rosters. We’re not ready to make a decision tonight. But obviously, we’re pretty close.
“The overall philosophy, idea for us is to figure out what’s best for our ballclub. I think Alex is at the top of the list as far as competitors and knows how he can help the club as a starter. But I think that Brandon McCarthy feels the same way.”
Wood clearly chafes at the idea of being relegated to the bullpen when he could probably step easily into the starting rotation of any number of other teams. But he is also trying to find the upside in his situation.
“It just depends on what you’re looking for personally,” Wood said. “For me, I feel very grateful to be on such a great team. I’ve been on great teams my whole career. I feel very fortunate. So it’s not the first time I’ve had to deal with a situation like this. This is kind of to an extreme, for sure, with the number of guys we’ve got and how it can possibly shake out. It’s nothing I’m not used to.
“If I were anywhere else, I don’t think we’d be having this discussion. You can look at it as the glass being half empty or glass half full. It’s one of those things where I’m excited because this is the best team I’ve ever been on. Whatever they want me to do, that’s where we’ll go.”
MORROW STAYS
The Dodgers will pay non-roster reliever Brandon Morrow a $100,000 retention bonus but Roberts said Morrow is “not going to make the club as it stands right now.” As a veteran who signed a minor-league deal, Morrow could have become a free agent Tuesday if not given the bonus.
Roberts said the 32-year-old Morrow has indicated he is willing to spend time in the minors.
“He is and he’s made that point,” Roberts said. “He’s a major-league pitcher and we expect him to pitch important innings for us. But right now as we talk about opening day he doesn’t fit in those plans.”
Morrow has been plagued by shoulder problems throughout his career and made just 18 appearances with the Padres last season after undergoing shoulder surgery the previous year. The retention bonus also comes with a June 1 option to opt out and become a free agent if he is not promoted to the majors.
Morrow gave up six runs on 11 hits in 9-1/3 innings this spring but struck out 13 and only walked one.
Contact the writer: bplunkett@scng.com
