Dodgers: Tom Koehler Leaves Game With Injury; Set to Undergo MRI

The Dodgers suffered their first notable injury scare of the spring as Tom Koehler left Friday’s game in the top of the fourth inning.

Editors Note: Dave Roberts said that Koehler’s bicep tightened up and that the team is concerned.

The Dodgers have been walloped by the flu bug lately, and on Friday they suffered their first notable bout with the injury bug.  Tom Koehler left Friday’s game in the top of the fourth inning after delivering a pitch to White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia.  Koehler did give up a few walks and a home run in his brief outing.

Bill Shaikin of the LA Times tweeted out that Koehler is going to undergo an MRI on his shoulder.  While it sounds scary, we will have to hope its simply precautionary which it could be.  Given how early it is in spring training, Koehler could miss a week or two and still have time to get ready for the season.  Even if it is a serious injury, the Dodgers bullpen is stocked with many quality relievers so they could overcome this injury with ease.

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While Koehler is not necessarily supposed to be the designated eighth-inning reliever, the Dodgers are hoping he follows the previous seasons of Joe Blanton and Brandon Morrow who went from being average starting pitchers to effective bridges to ace closer Kenley Jansen.  Koehler has a career 4.39 ERA but posted a 3.00 ERA as a reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays last season.  He also recorded eleven strikeouts in twelve innings as his fastball and curveball played up in a limited relief role.

If Koehler misses enough time to delay the start of his regular season, then there is suddenly a wide open spot in the bullpen for one of the setup roles late in games.  JT Chargois, Brock Stewart, Adam Liberatore, Josh Fields, and fan favorite Pedro Baez could be in the running to fill the seventh or eighth inning role if Koehler misses some regular season time.  Scott Alexander is going to take one of the late game roles, but the Dodgers still need one more setup reliever.

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Koehler signed a one year two million dollar deal this off-season with incentives that could push his contract to three million.  That means if the injury is significant the Dodgers should still have some money left to sign another reliever and stay under the tax line if they choose to sign one.  Should there be an update to Koehler’s status we will update this article with the news but, any announcement of an injury probably will not happen today.