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Zack Greinke pitched into the fifth inning for the Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Friday night on a minor league rehab assignment, and could be in line to pitch next for the Dodgers on Wednesday against the Nationals.
Greinke allowed eight runs (three earned runs) on six hits on Friday night and had no walks and four strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches on the night in his 4⅓ innings, per the Quakes radio broadcast. Catcher Robert Kral for Lake Elsinore (Padres) did most of the damage with two doubles and a two-run home run against Greinke in three at-bats.
Despite this bring Greinke's first minor league rehab start, one day shy of four weeks after surgery to repair his broken left collarbone, his arm might be built up enough to be ready to rejoin the Dodgers in five days.
"If the doctors say he can pitch, we're going to let him pitch. We feel like his arm is going to be ready to pitch. He has thrown two 60-pitch bullpens, he's going to throw 75 pitches tonight," manager Don Mattingly said before the Dodgers played the Marlins on Friday night. "As long as the doctors say that's safe for him to pitch with, then he'll pitch. Knowing Zack, he probably would have pitched tonight."
Greinke, who signed a six-year, $147 million contract with the Dodgers in December, is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in two starts this season. He was injured on Apr. 11 against the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego when he hit Carlos Quentin with a pitch. Quentin charged the mound and barreled into Greinke, breaking his collarbone in the process.
Quentin served an eight-game suspension for his role in the brawl, and since returning is hitting .160/.276/.380 (8-for-50). Quentin homered Friday night in Tampa Bay, his only hit in 21 May at-bats. The Dodgers host the Padres from June 3-5 at Dodger Stadium.
But before Greinke can pitch Wednesday, he will need to come out of Friday's start without any setbacks.
"We're waiting for this one first," Mattingly said. "We'll see where he's at, and make a plan from there."