Dodgers starter Jon Garland was lifted from his Cactus League start after just 1.2 innings Wednesday due to shooting pains on the left side of his body. The Dodgers sent him for an MRI and don’t have the results yet, but it’s a pretty safe assumption that what he suffered was a strained left oblique muscle. And that’s not good news.
According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Garland is now expected to open the 2011 season on the 15-day disabled list. Oblique strains can often take up a month to recover from and Opening Day for the Dodgers is just about three weeks away.
Los Angeles has already lost Vicente Padilla to elbow surgery. He was expected to serve as insurance for a starting rotation that was at one point overly crowded. Now manager Don Mattingly and Co. must turn to shaky internal candidates like John Ely and Tim Redding to fill the temporary gaps.