Dodgers reliever Josh Ravin is one of the most polite, soft-spoken young men in the Dodgers clubhouse. He also throws a fastball that averages 97 MPH and occasionally breaks the century mark. But as the 27-year-old West Hills, CA native has so painfully learned. major league hitters can catch up to a 97 or even a 100-MPH fastball, and when they do, it can go a very long way.

After being selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 5th round of the 2006 MLB First Year Player Draft out of nearby Chatsworth High School, Ravin spent the next eight years in the Reds minor league system. He was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent on December 13, 2013 and split time between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Albuquerque in 2014.

After a promising spring training in which the fireballer posted an 0-1 record and impressive 2.57 ERA in seven innings pitched, Ravin began the 2015 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. But after a series of injuries in the Dodgers bullpen that included Paco Rodriguez, Joel Peralta and Pedro Baez, Ravin finally received the phone call that he had been waiting his entire life for – he was called up to the Dodgers on June 2.

With 10 years of minor league experience behind him, it didn’t take Ravin long to find success in the big leagues. In fact, in his MLB debut on June 2, he collected his first MLB win – on five pitches. Twelve days and four appearances later he earned his second win, having pitched a total of only 5.1 innings in which he allowed one run on five hits while striking out six and walking none for a very impressive 1.69 ERA. By every indication it appeared that the Dodgers had a star reliever in their midst.

…and then the bottom fell out.

As happens so very often at the big league level, opposing hitters quickly adjusted to Ravin’s fastball which, although incredibly fast, had little vertical movement on it. In other words, it was flat. In the course of 24-hours, Ravin gave up not one but two home runs – one a game-winner to Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos after a dramatic ninth-inning comeback to tie the game and the other to Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder that nearly hit the right field foul pole.

After spending 10 years in the minor leagues, there is a very good chance that Dodgers right-hander Josh Ravin is headed back there. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

And then on Friday night, a mere two days after the worst 24 hours of his professional baseball career, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly yet again put Ravin into a high pressure situation and again he struggled, giving up two runs on three hits and walking in a run that essentially took the Dodgers out of a game that they had fought back in and, at one point, were within one run of their most hated rivals.

Over the course of 17 days, Ravin has faced a total of 33 batters, has made 130 total pitches, has allow two devastating home runs, has allowed 2 inherited runners to score (one via a bases loaded walk) and has seen his ERA skyrocket to 6.43.

There is zero doubt that nobody feels worse about his implosion than Ravin himself and you can’t help but feel bad for the extremely likable young man who grew up in the shadow of Dodger Stadium. But baseball is a very cruel game and with rehabbing relievers Joel Peralta, Pedro Baez, Paco Rodriguez and Brandon League only days away from returning from the disabled list, it appears that Josh Ravin’s very brief MLB career after such a painfully long journey is about to come to end… for now, that is.