Michael Kopech reveals bizarre Dodgers injury diagnosis that wasn't correct

Emma Lingan

Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training / Brandon Sloter/GettyImages

In addition to being one of several members of the Los Angeles Dodgers who fell victim to the nasty stomach virus that made its way around the clubhouse in recent weeks, right-handed reliever Michael Kopech was also placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder impingement prior to the Tokyo Series.

Kopech has yet to pitch for the Dodgers in 2025, but the right-handed reliever provided an encouraging update on his health status ahead of Thursday's home opener against the Detroit Tigers.

On Thursday, Kopech told reporters including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic that he wasn’t suffering from a specific shoulder injury this spring; rather, he ramped up too quickly during camp and did more than what his shoulder was ready for. That issue has since been resolved, he said, and he has begun the process of ramping back up.

Dodgers' Michael Kopech provides positive update on injury status after misleading diagnosis

So, not only is Kopech's injury far less serious than initially feared; he also went so far as to say (via Ardaya) that he feels even better than he did last year. While there is no specific timetable for him to return at this point, the update from Kopech is certainly encouraging for the Dodgers.

Kopech proved to be one of the Dodgers' most effective additions at last year's trade deadline, when he was acquired from the Chicago White Sox. He pitched 24 innings for the Dodgers down the stretch, recording a 1.13 ERA and striking out an impressive 33% of the batters he faced. He also struck out 10 batters in 10 postseason innings in the Dodgers' pursuit of a World Series title.

The Dodgers made some notable additions to their relief pitching staff this offseason, including Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott, but Kopech is still an important piece of their bullpen. He may have had more than his fair share of setbacks in his recovery from injury, but his latest update is a promising sign that he could be back on the mound for Los Angeles sooner rather than later.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.