Perhaps Cruz was waiting for the ball to drop over the plate, like Koehler’s signature curve, and the extra fraction of a second prevented him from getting out of the way. Fortunately, Cruz was uninjured and able to remain in the game, but it was a telling moment regarding the Dodgers’ new arm in the bullpen.
Many are beginning to view Koehler as a replacement for Brandon Morrow now with the Chicago Cubs; both have experience as a starter and both have had to recover from injuries that changed their images in front offices around the league. Where Koehler has been viewed primarily as a starter, the Dodgers brass has seen his vast potential for his curveball/fastball exchange in more limited action.