Rich Hill Placed on 10-Day DL with Finger Injury

Inflammation in his left third digit has landed Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to April 15.

The team announced the news on Wednesday as it called up left-hander Adam Liberatore in a corresponding roster move. Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times specified that Hill has a cracked fingernail on his middle finger.

Per Spotrac, the 38-year-old southpaw is in the second season of a three-year contract, making $16 million in 2018.

This season, Hill has been roughed up after throwing six shutout innings in his 2018 debut. He had allowed10 runs on 12 hits and four walks over nine innings in his last two starts.

Hill has proven to be an effective pitcher—when healthy. He posted a 2.12 ERA in 2016, including a 1.83 ERA in six starts for Los Angeles following a midseason trade, and a 3.32 ERA last season. However, he made just 45 combined starts during those campaigns.

Blisters have proven to be a problem for the veteran in recent seasons.

Hill threw 195 innings for the Chicago Cubs in 2007 in his first full season as a starter. However, last year's 135 innings marked the second-most of his career, as he has topped the 100-inning plateau just three times.

As McCollough noted, this trip to the disabled list has been described as a "precaution." With injury history, especially with blisters, risking further injury this early in the season does not make sense.

McCollough also reported reliever Wilmer Font will not be considered as a fill-in starter in Hill's absence, which, according to David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports, is only expected to be one start.