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| Hong-Chih Kuo has been activated from the 60-day DL following his recovery from a strained elbow, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: He will provide depth in the Dodgers' bullpen, but his fantasy value is limited as a middle reliever. The 28-year-old hurler has a career 3.99 ERA in the majors.
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| According to the LA Daily News, Hong-Chih Kuo could return to the Dodgers as early as next week. |
Our View: Kuo, recovering from an elbow strain in Single-A, pitched on consecutive nights for the first time Tuesday. He is scheduled to get two days off and then pitch again Friday. Barring any setbacks he will return to the big league club next week.
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| MLB.com is reporting that the Dodgers have moved pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL. Kuo is still recovering from a strained left elbow. |
Our View: The Dodgers haven't been impressed with Kuo's recovey thus far, and now it looks like he will be out for much longer than expected. Any fantasy value he had is gone now, so if he is on anyone's roster you should get a replacement immediately.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo's recovery from a strained left elbow is not going well, and he lacks control with his pitches, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Skipper Joe Torre said, "His biggest issue is his inability to find one release point. He has no command right now. He will warm up and then whatever it is, after that he cannot find his release point. It is ideal for a pitcher to do that to get in a rhythm." |
Our View: Kuo was a solid middle reliever in 2008, but is only worth stashing in the deepest of fantasy leagues.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo, who has been recovering from a strained left elbow, will start baseball activities in the coming days, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. |
Our View: Barring a setback, Kuo could return to the Dodgers' bullpen in mid-June. Kuo fired 96 strikeouts over 80 innings in 2008, and is worth waiting for in deeper leagues that feature middle men.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo's elbow injury could be fairly serious, trainer Stan Conte told MLB.com. "It's degenerative change," Conte said. "It flares up for no reason. We've known about it all along. We know exactly what it is. He could pitch with it, but there's no sense to go out with more discomfort. There's not an outing where we didn't worry about it. He's done tremendously well with it. He's gone through a lot. It's best for him to rest. He has a resume full of MRIs. There's no plan for an injection. Hopefully it won't be too long." |
Our View: Right now, there is no plan for Kuo to undergo another operation, but that could change if his elbow doesn't start to feel better.
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| The Dodgers have officially placed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo on the 15-day DL due to a sore left elbow. The move is retroactive to April 30. |
Our View: We still don't know how long the Dodgers expect to be without Kuo, but his history of elbow injuries suggests they will need to do some exams.
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| Reliever Hong-Chih Kuo will be placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. He is having more pain in his left elbow, MLB.com reports. Kuo has had four surgeries on the joint in the past, including two Tommy John operations. |
Our View: Kuo is a very valuable setup man, and this isn't good news for Joe Torre's bullpen. Will Ohman, Cory Wade, and Ramon Troncoso will need to step up.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was selected the recipient of MLB.com's award as the 2008 Set-Up Man of the Year, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Kuo received 30.3% of the vote to outdistance second place finisher Grant Balfour (19.2%) and Carlos Marmol (17.6%). |
Our View: Kuo was spectacular last season with a 10.80 K/9 rate, a 2.14 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP for the Dodgers, and the hope is that he may finally have overcome the injury issues that have prevented him from consistently showing his wares at the major league level.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo has made the Dodgers' NLCS roster, according to the LA Times. |
Our View: Kuo was left off the NLDS roster against Chicago while dealing with a sore elbow, but manager Joe Torre decided he was fit for duty in the NLDS against Philadelphia. Kuo enjoyed a strong regular season with the Dodgers, as he held a 2.14 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 80 innings.
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| L.A. reliever Hong-Chih Kuo threw a simulated inning on Tuesday, and came away from the session pain-free, according to MLB.com. "His command was much better than I anticipated," Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. |
Our View: Kuo should be available now for the NLCS. He has been battling pain in his triceps, but the matter seems to be resolved after his second pain-free outing in three days.
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| Dodgers reliever Hong-Chih Kuo may be in the team's bullpen for the NLCS after missing the NLDS due to elbow pain, according to the L.A. Times. |
Our View: Kuo threw 30 pitches in a simulated game on Sunday, and everything went well. He'd certainly be an asset to the Dodgers, and had a great season, striking out 96 in 80 innings and sporting a WHIP of 1.01.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo underwent a heart exam in an attempt to determine why his fingers went numb and turned red while warming up Saturday, according to the LA Times. |
Our View: He tested negative for blood clots. As previously stated, he will not pitch in the NLDS against Chicago, and will be missed as he held a 2.14 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 80 innings in the regular season.
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| As expected, Hong-Chih Kuo won't pitch in the first round of the playoffs for the Dodgers due to his injured triceps muscle, according to the AP. |
Our View: Kuo warmed up in the bullpen to pitch in relief Saturday night at San Francisco but said he couldn’t feel his fingers and didn’t enter the game. He then threw for about 15 minutes in the indoor cage and still was having problems with numbness, and his skin turned red. The Dodgers didn’t want to take any chances that Kuo might have a blood clot. He will undergo more tests in the coming days, then head to instructional league in Arizona to decide whether he might be available if Los Angeles advances to the National League championship series.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo indicated that he may not be ready to pitch in the playoffs due to his injured triceps muscle, according to the LA Times. |
Our View: Kuo played catch and said his ailing left elbow is responding well to treatment, but has underwent four surgeries on his elbow, and has only pitched twice in the last three weeks. He would be a tough loss for the Dodgers, with a 2.14 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 80 innings, with 96 strikeouts.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo, out with an injured triceps muscle, will throw off flat ground on Tuesday, according to the Dodgers Official Website. Manager Joe Torre said that Kuo "seems to be doing all right." |
Our View: Kuo likely is won't be a factor in the season's final week, though there is a chance he could appears towards the end of Week 26. You're better off going with another option this coming week.
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| Reliever Hong-Chih Kuo reported soreness in his left triceps on Monday and will miss some time. "From what I'm told, if we wait a few more days, it'll be the same result," manager Joe Torre tells MLB.com. "He's not out of the mix, but we have to be a little more aware of his usage. Even earlier in the season, when he was lights-out, it's safe to assume there was no time he never felt something." |
Our View: Kuo has undergone four surgeries on his left elbow, and it's never too surprising when he has more issues in or around the joint. He is an excellent setup man when healthy, but the Dodgers (and fantasy owners) may not have his services down the stretch.
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| Manager Joe Torre said he expects to have Hong-Chih Kuo available Saturday according to MLB.com. Kuo has not pitched since throwing 1.3 innings Sunday against Arizona. On Wednesday, he received a cortisone shot in his twice-rebuilt elbow due to fatigue. |
Our View: Silently, Kuo has been one of the best middle relievers in the game this season. He is 5-2 with a 2.03 ERA. He brings further fantasy value with his strikeouts. He has 95 whiffs in 79.2 innings.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was handed a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning but gave up two runs to the San Francisco Giants and suffered the loss. It was the second day in a row the Giants won the game in the final inning, as they did the same on Saturday against Jonathan Broxton. |
Our View: Broxton had thrown three days in a row, so he was getting the day off. Kuo has been spectacular this year, but he failed to get the job done today.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo has done a phenomenal job this season, and as a result he could be called upon to fill the setup role with the Dodgers now that former setup man Jonathan Broxton is in the closers role due to the injury to Takashi Saito, according to the Associated Press. |
Our View: Chan Ho Park was also mentioned by manager Joe Torre, but we would certainly suggest that the club goes with Kuo who has dominated hitters to the tune of a 1.69 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 10.63 K/9 mark in 53.1 innings.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo and Chan Ho Park are the likely candidates for Saturday's start against the Angels, according to the LA Times. The team will need a fifth starter for the rotation that day, and Esteban Loaiza remains on the DL. Manager Joe Torre was asked if future star Clayton Kershaw was an option for the spot, and Torre replied, "I'm assuming he could be an option but not in my mind at this point. I don't think there's any question that he's on our radar screen. Now it's just a matter of making sure you don't make a move too soon. Our ambitions are geared more toward getting to October than it is to next week."
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Our View: Torre is said to make his decision on Tuesday or Wednesday regarding his fifth starter. Kuo is 2-1 over three starts this season, with a 2.77 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 26 innings, with 34 strikeouts.
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| The effort to start on the right foot proved a failure with the first pitcher the Dodgers put on the mound, but the second found a reversal of fortune and helped LA build the foundation for a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets. LHP Hong-Chih Kuo entered after RHP Hiroki Kuroda, starting the effort, failed to get the job done. Kuroda surrendered four runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Kuo, allowing the lefty to settle in and pitch 3 2/3 innings allowing no runs on no hits, walking just one and striking out eight. |
Our View: Kuo earned the win for his efforts, his second consecutive win to start May with success. Kuo has yet to pitch more than four innings, but in the short frame of work, he has shown great potential. Tonight's performance only solidifies that belief.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will be returning to the bullpen according to the LA Times. Manager Joe Torre announced the decision, and also stated that Esteban Loaiza will start on Sunday. |
Our View: This move makes sense, as Kuo has racked up a solid 16 strikeouts over 15 innings, but failed to make it past the fifth inning in any of his three starts. His 1.40 WHIP could also go down, as he will only be handling an inning at a time.
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| The night started awful and never got much better for LHP Hong-Chih Kuo , taking his first loss of the season as the Dodgers fell 1-8 to the Cincinnati Reds. Kuo allowed eight hits and five runs (all earned) in 3 2/3 innings, surrendering a solo home run to Adam Dunn in the 4th inning to cap a horrific 80-pitch performance. |
Our View: Kuo has yet to make it past the fifth inning in any of his three starts thus far this season.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was named the Dodgers starter for next Tuesday night over Esteban Loaiza, this according to MLB.com. Manager Joe Torre said that the team hopes that Kuo can claim the 5th job full-time, because after four arm surgeries the team doesn't know if he could handle pitching out of the bullpen. |
Our View: Loaiza will likely be the long men in the pen until, or if, Kuo is injured again, so for the moment, Kuo holds a slight advantage in the value department in NL Only leagues.
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| It was a team effort (including the offensive gifts), but starting pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo mixed with Esteban Loaiza to hold the Pittsburgh Pirates to two runs on just five hits, leading the Dodgers to an impressive 2-11 win. Kuo went just four innings and thre 75 pitches, but he allowed just one run on just two hits, walking three and striking out six. |
Our View: Loaiza added five innings, allowing just three hits and one run with just 55 pitches (40 strikes).
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will start against the Pirates on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times confirms. He will replace Esteban Loaiza in the rotation. Kuo started one other game this season due to weather conditions, but he was previously looked at as a long reliever. |
Our View: Kuo has yet to allow a run over 6.2 innings this year, but his career 5.03 ERA speaks louder than his limited work this season. Proceed with much caution.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was thrown in as the Dodgers starting pitcher on Wednesday due to the threat of rain, according to MLB.com. The team pulled scheduled starter Chad Billingsley. Kuo pitched well as he only allowed three hits over three innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was back in action Tuesday after missing his previous start with a sore left elbow. He took down all three batters he faced, striking out two. It appears that his elbow is fine and shouldn't slow his attempt to earn a spot in the Dodgers bullpen. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was scratched from his Wednesday start due to a sore left elbow. It's the same joint that required surgery to remove bone chips in July. “I just felt a little sore,” Kuo tells the AP. “I feel better. I’m just taking a couple days off and I’ll be ready to go.” He will not undergo an X-ray or MRI. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo is healthy, on schedule, and ready to fight for a roster spot. He underwent surgery last July to have bone chips removed from his left elbow. "I think I'll have to fight it out," Kuo tells the Los Angeles Daily News. "I'm just trying to make (the team). It doesn't matter whether it's as a starter or reliever." |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo, who underwent elbow surgery a month ago, resumed throwing Wednesday as part of his continuing rehabilitation, according to the LA Times. He made 20 throws. "I'll just play it day-by-day, see how it feels," said Kuo. It's unlikely Kuo will return this season. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo underwent surgery on Wednesday to remove bone chips from his left elbow, and he's unlikely to return this season, according to the LA Times. "You really won't know for the next 10 or 14 days and see how he starts off his rehab," trainer Stan Conte said. "To get back to pitching at the major league level, it's hard to tell if he has enough time left until the end of the season. I've seen some of these go very quickly and others take a very long time, so it's not right to speculate at this point." Kuo posted a 7.42 ERA in eight games (six starts) this season. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo threw on flat ground Thursday and could pitch off a mound soon, according to the LA Times. Kuo is recovering from an elbow injury, and he'll likely be sent to the minors once he's healthy. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was optioned to Triple-A on Saturday, the AP reports. The move was no big surprise, as he was hammered (17 runs in 10 1/3 innings) over his last three turns. D.J. Houlton replaced him on the Los Angeles roster. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo pitched six strong innings at San Diego Thursday, allowing one run over six innings. Kuo gave up three hits, walked four and struck out eight. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo is still the most likely candidate to get the start for the Dodgers Saturday, even as he didn't have a strong appearance at Triple-A on Monday (five runs, 4 2/3 innings), the Los Angeles Times reports. "Right now, I'm leaning toward Kuo," Grady Little said. "I'm fairly confident that will be the guy." |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo is the most likely candidate to start for the Dodgers on Saturday against the Pirates, according to the LA Times. Still, nothing is set in stone, as Kuo allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start at Triple-A. "He's still a work in progress," manager Grady Little said. "We'll have to make a call whether to get him in there for Saturday or not." |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will slide into the Dodgers rotation if his next start at Triple-A Las Vegas goes well, the Los Angeles Times reports. Kuo pitched four scoreless innings Wednesday against Tacoma. He is scheduled to pitch again Monday for Las Vegas, then make his first Dodgers start June 2 at Pittsburgh. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo was recalled from Triple-A Tuesday. He's coming back from a shoulder injury and will work in long relief. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo said he felt no pain in his strained pitching shoulder Wednesday after his second rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas, the AP reports. The left-hander struck out seven batters in 2 1/3 innings against Sacramento, giving up a pair of singles. He also hit a batter, but used a fastball clocked at 94 mph and a sharp slider in striking out all seven batters he retired.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo is scheduled to pitch Sunday at Triple-A Las Vegas, marking his first game action since he injured his shoulder March 21 at spring training, the Los Angeles Times reports. Kuo threw 30 pitches in a simulated game Thursday and did not aggravate the finger blister that bothered him a day earlier. The only concession to the blister was that he refrained from throwing two-seam fastballs to avoid friction. "Otherwise, I threw all my pitches and everything was good," Kuo said. |
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| Hong Chih-Kuo was unable to throw his simulated game yesterday due to blistered fingers, according to the LA Times. Recovering from a torn rotator cuff, he should be ready to throw today. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will throw another simulated game Wednesday, the Dodgers official site reports. Kuo, who's coming back from a torn rotator cuff, is slated to throw 45 pitches.
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will pitch a simulated game at Dodger Stadium before Friday's game with Pittsburgh, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. He's coming back from a shoulder injury. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo is throwing off flat ground without pain, the Los Angeles Times reports. Kuo is also working out with the Dodgers now, after spending the last week rehabbing his shoulder in the team's Florida complex. It's not clear yet when Kuo will start throwing off a mound again. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will miss four to six weeks due to a strained a muscle below his shoulder, according to the LA Times. Trainer Stan Conte said the injury injury must be completely healed before Kuo begins throwing, because there is a danger of it re-occurring. "This is not a long-lasting or career-threatening injury. It just takes time to heal," Conte said. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo has been shut down with inflammation in the back of his throwing shoulder, essentially taking him out of the running for the Dodgers fifth starter job, according to the team's official site. Kuo hasn't picked up a ball since struggling through three innings Wednesday night; although an MRI revealed no structural damage, Kuo did not play catch with the other pitchers Friday. Now that he's out of the mix, the final starting position appears to be between Mark Hendrickson, Brett Tomko and non-roster invitee Joe Mays. Grady Little says he plans to keep Chad Billingsley in the bullpen for the start of the year. |
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| It's not clear yet if Hong-Chih Kuo or Chad Billingsley will start for the Dodgers next Friday at San Francisco, according to the team's official site. The most likely scenario is Kuo, but it could hinge on how effectively he pitches in today's home finals with Arizona. Grady Little said Billingsley will be in the bullpen for the Colorado series which starts Tuesday, another indication that Kuo is the more likely starter in San Francisco. "We'll see how it looks after we play Colorado," Little said. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo will remain in the rotation the rest of the year, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Kuo worked six strong innings Thursday, allowing two runs and seven hits, with on walks and six strikeouts. "We can bring him back for two or three more starts," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. |
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| Hong-Chih Kuo has been working as a starter since being sent to Triple-A Las Vegas last month. Originally, the plan was just to stretch him out, but the L.A. Times reports that the Dodgers have liked what they've seen and might try Kuo as a starter next season. "He's taken to it better than we originally thought he would," general manager Ned Colletti said. "It's becoming more and more of an option." |
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