Tomko named Dodgers fifth starter

According to MLB.com, the Dodgers have named Brett Tomko as the team's fifth starting pitcher. Tomko won the job over Mark Hendrickson, who will pitch long relief, and Hong-Chih Kuo, who pulled a muscle in his shoulder last week and will open the season on the disabled list. "This is not the finish line," said Tomko. "I just got the nod to get in the starting gate." Tomko will open the season in the bullpen, but will make his first start on April 10 against the Rockies. He will not be needed again until April 17 at Arizona.

Tomko has a 5.14 spring ERA, a number inflated by his most recent start on Thursday, when he allowed six runs in four innings against Baltimore. Tomko started in the rotation last season before an oblique injury kept him out for five weeks. He then opted to help the team out of the bullpen before getting some starts at the end of last season. As a starter last year, he was 6-6 with a 5.12 ERA. Consider him in NL-only play to open the season.
Source: CBS SportsLine.com