Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Scott Kazmir was diagnosed with thoracic spine inflammation and could be out indefinitely as the regular season draws to a close.
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Kazmir Has No Timetable For Return
Saturday, Sept. 10
MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick relayed the update.
The 31-year-old is in his first season with the Dodgers after signing a three-year, $48 million deal in the offseason, via Spotrac.com, which is his third team in the past two seasons.
After starting 2016 off slow with a 2-3 record, Kazmir won his next five decisions before splitting his six. He’s now 10-6 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.35 WHIP.
He also helped keep the Dodgers afloat when they lost ace Clayton Kershaw on June 30 before he returned in a limited capacity on Sept. 9.
Before this most recent knock, Kazmir looked like he was putting his injury woes behind him. Since 2008, nagging elbow issues had limited him at times. But in each of the past two seasons, Kazmir had recorded over 30 starts.
With the loss of Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers were in search of a No. 2 starter who could support Kershaw. They brought in Kazmir and Japanese product Kenta Maeda to try to fill the void.
It looks like Maeda will take Kazmir’s spot as the Dodgers’ primary ace until Kershaw is back at 100 percent and pitching at an All-Star-caliber level again following an extended stretch on the shelf.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com
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