It’s been a tough spring for Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu in terms of dealing with health issues.

He’s done well on the mound when he has pitched, but has not been able to stay healthy. First, Ryu missed some time with a back issue and now he’s been shut down with tightness in his left shoulder. Last season, Ryu missed some time due to shoulder irritation and it appears the issue is back.

Ryu was set to throw over the weekend, but that did not go well via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

Ryu sent back to LA to be examined after not feeling well playing catch. — Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) March 22, 2015

While the Dodgers are being very cautious with Ryu, it’s a bit unsettling that he’s dealing with this right before the season starts. While it was speculated that the 27-year-old could miss the start of the season, that’s now a near certainty:

Mattingly concedes Ryu won't be ready for start of season. — Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) March 22, 2015

With Ryu out, the Dodgers will need to replace him in the rotation. Because of the schedule, they will not need a fifth starter until two weeks into the season. Candidates to fill that role are Erik Bedard, Joe Wieland, Zach Lee and a few others. Bedard is set to undergo an MRI and could also be out for the beginning of the season. The Dodgers could also explore a trade; however, that seems unlikely unless Ryu’s injury is significant.

The Dodgers will eagerly anticipate the results from Ryu’s evaluation.

Dodgers 2015 Spring Training – Brandon McCarthy