No Need For Any More Australian Anxiety

Looks like the baseball gods, or possibly an elaborate charade, has saved Zack Greinke from that horrible trip to Australia. Greinke left today's game with a calf injury:

Zack Greinke‘s spring training debut lasted all of three pitches, as the Dodgers right-hander left the mound and headed into the clubhouse with trainer Stan Conte by his side.

He’s been diagnosed with a strained right calf, which is just about the best-case scenario from leaving in the middle of an at-bat. Manager Don Mattingly came to the mound and had an extended conversation with Greinke, who threw a couple warm-up pitches to test the injury before eventually leaving the game.

ESPN.com calls Greinke's departure "precautionary":

"I think it's minor, but we'll see," Greinke said. "I don't know exactly what it was, but it felt kind of like a cramp."

The Dodgers termed Greinke's removal "precautionary," but even a small injury could push back his season debut. Los Angeles opens its season more than a week ahead of most major league teams with two games beginning March 22 in Australia.

Greinke said he would have continued to pitch with the pain had the strain occurred in the regular season.

"Just trying to take care of it since it's early in spring," Greinke said. "And, hopefully, it's not a big deal."

So, how are you feeling, Hyun-Jin Ryu?

photo: Rick Scuteri / USA TODAY Sports