Dodgers Injury Update: Pedro Baez Begins Throws From Flat Ground

It has been an injury plagued 2015 for the Los Angeles Dodgers so far with the outfield (Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig and Scott Van Slyke), starting pitching (Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu) and bullpen (Kenley Jansen and Joel Peralta) being most affected.

Despite all the injuries, the Dodgers have used their depth to overcome it and still hold a 31-22 record, 1.5 games ahead of the second-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West. Though they certainly could use reinforcements after a rough stretch of baseball.

One of the more recent injuries not mentioned above came to relief pitcher Pedro Baez on May 13 when he suffered a strained pectoral muscle. Baez was removed from the game after striking out three in one inning of work, and told catcher Yasmani Grandal he felt something on his final four pitches, as his fastball dropped from 98-99 mph down to 94.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA times, three weeks later Baez is making progress in his recovery:

Baez is throwing pain-free on flat ground.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) June 3, 2015

Baez was off to a good start to the season, striking out 22 while walking only three in 15.1 innings of work while yielding a 1.76 ERA. The 27-year-old Dominican Republic native was perhaps the hardest thrower out of the Dodgers bullpen this season and could be a vital piece to the bullpen down the stretch if he can get and stay healthy.

While Baez is moving toward a return, a timetable for activating him off the DL has not yet been established. At the time of being placed on the DL Baez said he expected to return once the required 15 days were up.

2015 Sports Spectacular — Chester Pitts