Dodgers’ Josh Ravin Injured in Auto Accident

Dodgers pitcher Josh Ravin will undergo arm surgery today following a car accident yesterday.

To say Josh Ravin has had a rough spring would be an understatement. The 28-year old had been dealing with the flu and strep throat, causing him to lose 15 pounds according to J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News. He threw a bullpen session Monday morning, and then this.

According to Hoornstra, Ravin was involved in a multi-car crash on Monday and will undergo surgery on his broken arm. Luckily, Ravin is a righty, so the break occurred on his non-throwing arm. The Chatsworth High alumnus got his first sniff of the major leagues last year with the Dodgers after parts of 10 seasons in the minors.

He was a fifth round selection in the 2006 draft by the Reds and stayed in their system until the 2014 season, when he was granted free agency and signed by the Dodgers. Ravin posted a 4.74 ERA in 24 2/3 innings in 2014 and joined the OKC Dodgers’ bullpen in 2015, where he posted a 3.86 ERA in 22 appearances (28 innings). He turned heads by striking out 38 batters in those 28 innings and was called up in June.

Ravin allowed one run in his first four appearances (five 1/3 innings), but allowed four runs over his next three appearances (one 2/3 innings) and was demoted. He was recalled again in June, but finished the season on the 60-day DL with a sports hernia.

In nine 1/3 major league innings, Ravin finished the season with an ugly 6.75 ERA, but struck out more than a batter/inning and showed a high velocity fastball, averaging 97.1 MPH on the heater (15th among all pitchers last year). Ravin has some potential and considering how long he spent in the minors, it’s really easy to root for him. The surgery should keep him sidelined for a bit, but he was a longshot to make the bullpen out of the gate.