Dodgers’ Zack Greinke: Pitching April 2 is ‘definitely possible’.

Zack GreinkeDodgers right-hander Zack Greinke said there’s “zero chance” he would be at full strength April 2, when he is scheduled to make his first start of the season, but didn’t rule out pitching that day in an interview with Sirius XM Sports.

“I don’t know for sure,” Greinke said when asked if he’d be able to make the start. “We’re just kind of working with the training staff. I’m kind of going by what they tell me. It’s probably zero chance I’ll be throwing that day at a full 120 pitches but to actually pitch that day, I don’t know what percentage but it’s definitely possible.”

Earlier Thursday, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly told reporters that Greinke isn’t going to throw off a bullpen mound until next week. That’s left the team uncomfortable enough to formulate some contingency plans. “We’ve got different scenarios that we’ve looked at,” Mattingly said.

The Dodgers will have two off-days in the first eight games of the season. If they want to keep ace Clayton Kershaw on an every-fifth-day schedule, Greinke could make his first start either April 7 at home against Pittsburgh or April 12 in Arizona. (In that case, Kershaw would make his third start of the season in game nine.) If they want to keep Kershaw on an every-fifth-game schedule, Greinke might debut April 9 in San Diego or April 14 in Arizona, after Kershaw’s second or third start of the season.

Greinke signed a six-year, $159 million contract with the Dodgers in December.

This entry was posted in JP on the Dodgers and tagged , by J.P. Hoornstra. Bookmark the permalink.

About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.