The Los Angeles Dodgers have battled through a multitude of injuries in the early going of the 2018 season. That extends to offseason signee Tom Koehler, who was expected to help bridge the gap to closer Kenley Jansen in high-leverage situations.
But those plans changed when Koehler suffered a shoulder sprain in just his second Spring Training appearance. The former starting-pitcher-turned-reliever has been on the disabled list since Opening Day, but does appear to be making strides in his recovery process.
Koehler recently revealed that he is making progress, though he will continue taking a cautious approach. The right-hander still needs to rebuild his arm strength with a throwing program and eventually complete a lengthy rehab assignment.
That being said, Koehler isn’t close to returning to the Majors. But he has begun throwing from long distance, via J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group:
Pitcher Tom Koehler isn’t close to making his Dodgers debut, but the right-hander has begun throwing from a distance of 75 feet, Manager Dave Roberts said.
When eventually cleared and deemed healthy, Koehler figures to be a welcome addition to the Dodgers bullpen. The 31-year-old found success as a reliever for the first time in his career last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, after previously struggling as a starting pitcher.
That fits the mold of recent bullpen reclamation projects Joe Blanton and Brandon Morrow, who thrived on one-year contracts with the Dodgers before departing in free agency.
Furthermore, Koehler offers potential depth in the starting rotation. The Dodgers intended to build him up as a starter during Spring Training so he was capable of serving in that capacity if needed.
