Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Andre Ethier to miss 10-14 weeks with fracture

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Arizona Diamondbacks

Dodgers at Royals, 6:05 p.m.
Carl Crawford, DH
Chase Utley, 2B
Howie Kendrick, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
A.J. Ellis C
Trayce Thompson, LF
Rob Segedin, 1B
Rico Noel, RF
(Alex Wood, P)

By Jon Weisman

The second X-ray was radioactive and then some for Andre Ethier.

When Ethier fouled a ball off his right shin Friday, initial x-rays were negative. But after he showed no improvement over subsequent days, a follow-up CT scan revealed a right tibia fracture.

He won’t need surgery, but he is expected to need between 10 and 14 weeks to recover, which puts him out until at least approximately June, or approximately a third of the regular season.

Ethier, who turns 34 on April 10, played in 142 games last year and hasn’t played in fewer than 130 since 2006, his rookie year. He had an .842 OPS and 137 weighted Runs Created in 2015.

Carl Crawford and Scott Van Slyke are the most obvious choices to pick up Ethier’s innings in left field, with Trayce Thompson — who starts for the Dodgers in tonight’s Cactus League game against the Royals — the leading option from the farm system. The 25-year-old Thompson OPSed .896 with 144 wRC+ in 135 plate appearances when he debuted with the White Sox last summer.

Kiké Hernandez is the last Dodger to start in left field in a game that counted — Game 5 of the 2015 National League Division Series — and could also see time there once Corey Seager returns to action at shortstop.

A year ago, Crawford was coming off a hot finish to 2013, and Ethier was expected to be the fourth outfielder, only to step forward when Crawford struggled with injuries. This year, Crawford and others will have the opportunity to step up for a fallen starter.

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6 Comments

  1. Does 2013 = 2014? re Crawford coming off …..

  2. This year starting to remind me of 2005, a team that was good enough to win division if healthy and horrible when the depth wasn’t there, and finish 20 games below 500. I don’t think they are that bad yet, but 500 doesn’t seem out of the question.

    • Jon Weisman

      I don’t know what will happen, but there is no comparison between the depth this year and the depth in 2005.

  3. Now this is just weird. I am sitting here streaming music (classic rock on Spotify) and reading about my fave team. Headline says Ethier is out and take a wild guess what the song is, I kid you not,.. Another One Bites the Dust by Queen! What the hell??? No more Spotify, unless of course it is We Are the Champions come Oct.

  4. Will certainly miss 3.5 being out there, but it’s a deep team and leftfield is the deepest.

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