Dodgers scratch Zack Greinke from tonight’s start with sore calf [Updated]

And then the snowball rolled on, growing ever so larger, gaining a tick of speed?

Like the Dodgers weren’t already experiencing a slap-me moment with their poorly timed four-game losing streak down the stretch, now comes this:

Zack Greinke has been scratched from Wednesday night’s scheduled start with calf soreness.

His replacement at this moment is unknown, the Dodgers’ choices likely down to Ian Thomas or Joe Wieland (who last pitched Sept. 9). Carlos Frias, a former member of the rotation before going to the disabled list with a bad back, would be a logical candidate, but he’s thrown only once since returning, and that was two innings on Sunday.

[Updated at 3:05 p.m.: The Dodgers have announced Frias will start Wednesday.

Manager Don Mattingly could have elected to go with one of his bullpen games, but he could not be excited about depleting it with a day game Thursday and then heading to Colorado and San Francisco. Frias is unlikely to go more than two or three innings, however, so it will still have to be some form of a bullpen game.]

None of this bodes well for a team that has suddenly stumbled and was counting on Greinke to turn the ship back in its desired direction tonight at Dodger Stadium.

Greinke is also a favorite to win his second Cy Young Award. The Dodgers said they expect him to make his next regular turn in the rotation, but they were vague about the injury. They did not even announce which calf it was.

Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to start Thursday, for those of you into crossing fingers.