Dodgers' starter Jon Garland is expected to miss four-to-six weeks
The Dodgers have plenty of depth to replace injured pitcher Jon Garland. Reuters

In Major League Baseball, the loss of a starting pitcher can be devastating to a team's hopes of making the post season.

The Dodgers received news that starter Jon Garland injured his oblique and will be out four-to-six weeks, meaning he will likely miss some April starts.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, not paying top dollar for an ace, or trading for one, has its rewards.

The loss of Garland shouldn't hurt the Dodgers too much based on the depth that General Manager Ned Colletti has stockpiled by trading for and signing pitchers.

The Dodgers have the option of slotting Vicente Padilla in the rotation. Padilla, who has been plagued with injuries himself recently, was signed with the likely intention of being an emergency starter or a possible long reliever.

The same can possibly be said for Blake Hawksworth. Colletti acquired the 28-year-old right hander from St. Louis, and Hawksworth had eight starts last season for the Cardinals.

Another possibility is John Ely, a young pitcher who had 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2010. But with this season's depth, he might not be on the Dodgers' 25-man roster for Opening Day.

Other potential starting pitchers include Carlos Monasterios, Ramon Troncoso, Travis Schlichting, non-roster invitee Tim Redding, and the Dodgers' minor-league Pitcher of the Year Rubby De La Rosa.

Major league baseball