Dylan Covey was thrown into quite the difficult spot on Wednesday. After being with the Dodgers on the taxi squad for a day, and just hours after officially being activated to the active roster, Covey was on the mound, trying to give the Dodgers length following back-to-back bullpen-taxing outings.
When Dustin May left his start after just one inning, Covey was tasked with going as long as he possible could. The 31-year-old was built up to be a starter in Triple-A, but it’s not easy to come in during the second inning and just pitch. Covey, however, did just that.
Covey had shutout innings in the second and third, allowing just a solo home run in the fourth before another scoreless fifth. He had some trouble in the sixth, where he was ultimately replaced by Victor Gonzalez. However, his final line of four innings and two earned runs is more than what the Dodgers could have asked for.
After the game, the Glendale, CA native was asked about pitching for his hometown team.
“It’s really special, I grew up 15 minutes up the road. I grew up a Dodger fan,” Covey said. “A couple years ago I didn’t ever think I’d be back in this situation. But, yeah it’s really special playing for a hometown team and my family’s here and got to see me. So, just special.”
Considering the situation he came into, the Dodgers couldn’t have asked for much more. Covey had a career 6.57 ERA across four MLB seasons, but kept the Dodgers in a game they probably should have lost. His manager, Dave Roberts, had nothing but praise for the journeyman pitcher after the game.
“Covey was great. He was fantastic,” Roberts said.”“Obviously having Dustin go short, and considering where we’ve been at coming off a 13 (inning) game three days ago, so for him to go four innings and keep us in the ballgame, give us a chance to win was huge. And couldn’t be more happy for him and us.”
One of the heroes of the game, James Outman, who hit the go-ahead grand slam in the 7th inning, was asked about Covey’s performance, too.
“Dylan did great,” Outman said to Kirsten Watson of SNLA. “That’s a tall order to come in there and he did an unbelievable job.”
Covey will be in consideration to get May’s next start in the rotation on Monday against the Braves. Rookie RHP Gavin Stone seems likely to get the opportunity, however, if the Dodgers want to have him continue working in Triple-A, Covey could end up being the best option.
Either way, it’s an incredible story for Covey, a journeyman pitcher getting to pitch for his favorite team growing up, and single-handedly keeping them in a game they probably should have lost. Covey will remember that day forever.
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