After making his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, Josh Ravin endured a rough stretch that included a family scare, accident, and suspension for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug.
Ravin suffered a fractured left forearm in a car accident during Spring Training and began the season on the 60-day disabled list. In May he was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball for a positive PED test.
The right-hander was reinstated from the restricted list last week and appeared in two games with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Dodgers recalled Ravin on Monday to fill the void left by Joe Blanton getting placed on the bereavement list.
“When I got the call [Sunday] night, it was emotional. It was along the same level as my debut, just because of what I went through,” Ravin said after the Dodgers’ victory.
“It was so extreme in just a short amount of time, so when I did get that call it was emotional for me.” He struck out the first two batters faced in the ninth inning before allowing a triple, which was the lone blip on the radar.
Ravin is using the turbulent stretch he went through as motivation and a learning experience. “When I’m on the mound I want the bulldog in me to come out. Just not letting anything getting to me,” he said.
“I think having all this negative stuff that’s going on, there is literally nothing that can happen to me at this point that I just can’t handle, I feel like. It’s made me stronger when I’m out there. I just want to punch everyone out.”
The Dodgers have dealt with a record amount of injuries this season, with plenty coming to pitchers both in the rotation and bullpen. Ravin believes he’s capable of providing needed relief.
“I’m super fresh. Coming in, and we just had a little meeting earlier, and these guys have been grinding,” Ravin said. “We’ve had so many pitchers, I think 28 now that I’ve pitched, tying a record or it’s up there. If I can come in and help, I think I owe it to them to everyone to give innings. So when they call me, I’ll go as many as they need.”
Ravin appeared in nine games for the Dodgers last season, recording 12 strikeouts and posting a 6.75 ERA and 1.82 WHIP over 9.1 innings pitched.
