SAN DIEGO _ Rich Hill whirled around and faced a group of reporters at his locker. A sour look spread across his face.
"Cracked fingernail," he said. "Precautionary."
A stint on the 10-day disabled list is nothing new for Hill, who was shut down Wednesday afternoon. He has dealt with a variety of irritating ailments during his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including stints on the DL in 2016 and 2017 for blisters on his left hand. He can add this injury to the list. The team described it as inflammation of his left middle finger. Hill indicated he cracked the nail throwing a fastball during his last start.
Hill was scheduled to start Friday against the Washington Nationals and their ace, Max Scherzer. The most likely replacement for Hill would be Clayton Kershaw, who would be pitching on regular rest Friday. Kershaw said he was available to start whenever the team asked.
Manager Dave Roberts indicated the group had yet to decide how to line up the starters in Hill's absence. The team could call up a pitcher, play a bullpen game or keep the rotation on regular rest until Hill is ready to return next week. Wilmer Font is not an option to start, Roberts said.
"The cleanest (option) is to keep guys on their same turn," he said.
Walker Buehler, the organization's top pitching prospect, started in the minors Monday. He could be an option on regular rest for Saturday, if the team chooses to give the others in the rotation more time.
To take Hill's spot on the roster, the team called up left-handed reliever Adam Liberatore. He posted a 2.84 earned-run average in five games with triple-A Oklahoma City.
Hill, who hopes to miss only one start, indicated he would try to throw a bullpen session Saturday. He pitched through the issue against Arizona last week, when he gave up seven runs in five innings. He felt more discomfort in a bullpen session Tuesday.
"It does affect command through the long haul," Hill said. "It's just something that you cut it off now at the pass, move forward without any issues for the rest of the year."
Hill insisted that his time off was not related to blisters. But he admitted blisters might arise if he tried to pitch with the cracked nail.
"You can end up creating a blister from not having a nail, and where the nail bed has something to use as a backboard" for the hand while throwing, Hill said.
