Dodgers' Billingsley gets plasma injection
The Dodgers are not sure whether Chad Billingsley will pitch again in 2012, and in effort to increase his chances of pitching this season he had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his injured right elbow Thursday, MLB.com reported.
The Dodgers have not specified the nature of Billingsley's injury, calling it "inflammation."
Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten hinted the problem is significant when he told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday he thought Billingsley might miss the rest of the season.
The type of injection described typically is used for tendon or ligament tears, and several Dodgers players have used it to accelerate healing and delay surgery.
"If he's able to throw after this, he's not finished, and if that's the case, he'll start a throwing program," manager Don Mattingly said, according to MLB.com. "If not, there's a different plan. We're trying to see if this helps. It could be something that ends up more than that."
Billingsley is 10-9 with a 3.55 ERA this season.
Also, Ted Lilly played catch for the first time since last weekend's back injury as he tries to recover in time to help in September.
