The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing the reality of potentially being without several key contributors in their bullpen for the start of the 2025 season.
Prior to Spring Training workouts beginning at Camelback Ranch, Michael Kopech was said to be dealing with right forearm inflammation that originally surfaced during the team’s run to winning the World Series.
The right-hander had been able to play catch this spring but didn’t progress to a bullpen session until Tuesday.
Unsurprisingly, Kopech was deemed “a little behind schedule” compared to his teammates. Kopech acknowledged he still is not at full strength and will likely begin the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
But, he said last week, he was dealing with forearm inflammation that left him feeling “in the 60% range” health-wise.
“I think a lot of people look at the results of what you’re putting out there as how you feel,” said Kopech, whose forearm issue only became public knowledge once reports surfaced in January that he likely wouldn’t start the 2025 season on time because of its lingering effects on his offseason.
“I was still able to throw 100 mph in the last days of the season, so that’s great,” Kopech added. “But it was a lot more effort to throw that hard, and it was a lot more intensity and masking things. I definitely wasn’t 100%. But … I was determined to figure it out.”
After being acquired as part of a three-team trade with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, Kopech went 4-0 with six saves, a 1.13 ERA, 2.54 FIP and 0.79 WHIP across 24 appearances for the Dodgers last season.
He followed that by going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts over nine innings pitched in 10 games (one start) during the playoffs.
Given his importance to the bullpen, the Dodgers will make sure that the 28-year-old is completely healthy before they put him on their active roster.
Kopech and the Dodgers settled on a one-year, $5.2 million contract to avoid arbitration during the offseason. He is due to become a free agent after the 2025 season.
Michael Kopech among injured Dodgers relief pitchers
Along with Kopech potentially missing the start of the 2025 season, the Dodgers will be without Brusdar Graterol, who underwent right shoulder surgery during the offseason.
Evan Phillips is likely going to be unavailable for Opening Day as well after suffering a tear in his right rotator cuff during the playoffs.
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