This Spring Training has been an unusual one for Los Angeles Dodgers veteran starter Scott Kazmir, as in effort to return from a back injury he focused on improving on his mechanics.
Kazmir made two Cactus League starts, but his outing last week was cut short due to hip tightness. While Kazmir was frustrated by the injury, there was positive news when an MRI came back negative.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts nonetheless said the southpaw would miss at least one turn in the rotation. That left Kazmir to recently pitch on a back field at Camelback Ranch, which in addition to testing health, was used to continue refining mechanics, via Rowan Kavner of Dodger Insider:
Roberts said Scott Kazmir (hip) threw an abbreviated sim game Saturday, and “figured some things out toward the end.” Roberts said the Dodgers worked with his mechanics and that he’s “still trying to work some things out” but appears to be fine physically.
Making a quick return from the hip injury would be a positive development for Kazmir, considering he’s is competing for a spot in the starting rotation. In his 2.2 innings pitched this spring he has given up two hits and two runs (one earned) while walking two and striking out two.
Kazmir was sharp in the first inning of each of his two starts, but struggled in the second inning of his first start, and made just one pitch in the second of the next start before leaving with the hip injury.
Last season, similar hip trouble led to back and neck issues that ultimately left Kazmir unable to pitch. He managed to complete just one inning in his first start off the disabled list last September.
