Garland’s Injury Could be Serious

It doesn’t appear that the LA Dodgers are expecting starter Jon Garland to return anytime soon.  The right hander landed on the team’s disabled list with shoulder inflammation earlier this month.

However, with the way the team is talking, the injury sounds a bit more severe than just inflammation.  MLB.com speculates the 31 year old could be dealing with a tear in his labrum or rotator cuff.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly doesn’t seem to be holding his breath waiting for Garland.

“I’m looking at it like, at this point, I’m not saying the next homestand they’ll be ready,” said Mattingly. “It’s far enough out that it will be some time, and we keep moving forward and if we get them back we’ll get ’em going.”

This season marked the first time Garland had ever been placed on a team’s disabled list, and now he’s visited it twice with the Dodgers in 2011.  Garland has started at least 30 games and logged over 190 innings per season since 2002.

Top pitching prospect Rubby De La Rosa started in Garland’s absence for the Dodgers this week against the Phillies.  The righty held Philadelphia to 1 run on 4 hits over 5 innings in his first major league start.