Health/injuries – Page 11 – Dodger Thoughts

On September 12, 2015

In Health/injuries, Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Corey Seager walked, singled twice, hit his fifth double and his first Major League home run in tonight’s 9-5 Dodger victory, extending his streak of consecutive plate appearances on base to nine — a Los Angeles Dodger rookie record.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Seager has surpassed Pedro Guerrero (1980) and Jerry Sands (2011), who each reached base in eight consecutive trips as rookies.

Seager’s homer in the fifth was one of four in the game by the Dodgers, who burst out to a 7-0 lead by the third inning and maintained their 7 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the National League West. The 21-year-old, who drove in runs in his first three at-bats tonight, has an astonishing .568 on-base percentage and .733 slugging percentage in his first 37 MLB plate appearances.

Corey Seager is the first player 21 or younger to go 4-for-4 (or better) with a HR and a SB in the same game since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989.

— Paul Casella (@paul_casella) September 13, 2015

Joc Pederson went 3 for 5 with his 25th homer of the season, tying him with Del Bissonette (1928) and Joe Ferguson (1973) for second in Dodger history for homers by a rookie behind Mike Piazza, who had 33 in 1993. (I’m not convinced Ferguson was a rookie in 1973, but according to Baseball-Reference.com he was.)

It wasn’t a free night of bliss for the Dodgers, who saw Carl Crawford become the latest to leave a game with hamstring issues. He is listed as day to day. Crawford hit a leadoff homer for the Dodgers — their third in their last four games, and fourth straight game with a homer from their leadoff batter.

CC doesn't think it's anything serious with hamstring. Feels it was precautionary and says he could play tomorrow if needed.

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) September 13, 2015

NL ERA race hotter than Southern California

On September 11, 2015

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m.
Justin Ruggiano, LF
Jose Peraza, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, RF
Corey Seager, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Chris Heisey, CF
Alex Wood, P

By Jon Weisman

A quick note before we get to today’s lengthy health recap: Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta lowered his ERA to 1.99 this afternoon. If he and Zack Greinke stay below 2.00, they’ll be the first duo to do so in the same year since Dwight Gooden (1.53) and John Tudor (1.93) in 1985.

If Clayton Kershaw (2.15) joins them, we would have the first sub-2.00 trio since Luis Tiant (1.91), Gaylord Perry (1.92) and Gary Nolan (1.99) in 1972.

Kershaw, who is next scheduled to start Monday against the Rockies, most likely has four starts left in the 2015 regular season. If he pitched a total of 24 1/3 to 28 1/3 innings, he would need to allow no more than two earned runs (0.64 ERA) to get his ERA below 2.00. If he pitched 28 2/3 to 33 innings, he could allow three runs, and if he pitched at least 33 1/3, he could allow four runs.

And now, to the Web (Gem) MD report, via manager Don Mattingly to reporters:

Jose Peraza, who is playing tonight (batting second) for the first time since tweaking a hamstring September 1, is at 100 percent.
With Jimmy Rollins still recovering from a finger injury, Corey Seager is making his seventh start since his callup nine days ago. As Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. noted, Peraza and Seager are the youngest starting double-play combo for the Dodgers since 1947.
Howie Kendrick had live batting practice and ran the bases. He’s “not there yet but getting closer,” reports Bill Plunkett of the Register.
Yasiel Puig is still feeling hamstring tightness and has not been able to resume baseball work.
Kiké Hernandez is feeling good, but still has to get over the hump.
Yasmani Grandal took live BP today and was hitting home runs, according to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles.
Mat Latos’ stiff neck is improved, but his usage as a starter will depend on matchups.

Joe Wieland to start for Dodgers tonight

On September 9, 2015

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Dodgers at Angels, 7:05 p.m.
Scott Schebler, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, DH
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Corey Seager, SS
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Joc Pederson, CF
Austin Barnes, C
(Joe Wieland, P)

By Jon Weisman

Shifting gears in their starting rotation, the Dodgers have chosen to have Joe Wieland make his second start of the season tonight against the Angels.

Mat Latos, who had originally been penciled in for the start, has neck stiffness, the Dodgers said.

Wieland led Triple-A Oklahoma City during the regular season with 113 2/3 innings, getting one more out than Zach Lee, who starts Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League American Conference best-of-five finals tonight against Round Rock. Wieland had a 4.59 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in Triple-A, allowing seven homers while striking out 92.

Via #Dodgers beat writers … upcoming Dodger rotation:
Friday: Wood
Saturday: Bolsinger
Sunday: Greinke
Monday: Kershaw
Tuesday: Anderson

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) September 9, 2015

In his only Major League start this season, Wieland allowed two two-run homers before getting an out in the first inning at Milwaukee on May 6. He ultimately lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and four walks while striking out two. Wieland told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com after the game that he couldn’t locate his fastball and began using his changeup in the second inning.

Traded to the Dodgers in the Yasmani Grandal deal last winter, Wieland had Tommy John surgery in July 2012 and returned to action 368 days ago.

“I was full go the whole time,” he told Dodger Insider in January. “My UCL, the graft they put in, never had any issues. It was the back of the elbow that I was having problems with. Fortunately, we were able to find out what was wrong and take care of that, but I never had any issues of concern, being a little conservative, trying to hold back.”

Also in tonight’s lineup: Scott Schebler (4 for 10 with a homer and two steals) becomes the Dodgers’ 10th leadoff hitter of the season, and Austin Barnes (.350 on-base percentage in 20 plate appearances) is making his sixth start for Los Angeles.

Dodger leadoff hitters in '15: Pederson (68 games), Rollins (52), Puig (7), Hernandez (5), Crawford (2), Turner, Heisey, Barney, Ruggiano.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) September 8, 2015

Rollins, Grandal both in question

On September 7, 2015

Dodgers at Angels, 6:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, DH
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Corey Seager, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Joc Pederson, CF
(Zack Greinke, P)

By Jon Weisman

Don Mattingly told reporters today that Yasmani Grandal’s shoulder is bothering him again, and that Jimmy Rollins is having X-rays on a finger on this throwing hand that was hurt in a slide during Sunday’s 5-1 victory over San Diego.

Grandal was originally in tonight’s starting lineup against the Angels before being scratched. He will be examined anew, and A.J. Ellis will start.

Results from Rollins’ X-rays are hoped for by tonight. Corey Seager, 5 for 15 with two doubles and a stolen base as a Dodger, will make his fourth Dodger start.

One piece of good injury news: Jose Peraza told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that his hamstring was healed and he was able to play.

Mattingly also said that Mat Latos will start the third game of the series against the Angels, after Greinke tonight and Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. Mike Bolsinger might get another start this weekend at Arizona.

The Dodgers enter tonight’s game with a season-high lead of eight games in the National League West, after San Francisco’s 6-1 loss at Arizona this afternoon.

Seager is Dodgers’ youngest No. 5 hitter since Beltre

On September 4, 2015

Dodgers at Padres, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Scott Schebler, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Scott Schebler and Corey Seager are each making their second career starts tonight for the Dodgers, who continue to weather the longer absences of Yasiel Puig and Kiké Hernandez and the shorter ones of Andre Ethier and Jose Peraza.

Ethier, who fouled a ball off his knee Wednesday, and Peraza, who has been sidelined by hamstring tightness since Tuesday, are expected back to game action soon. Second baseman Howie Kendrick is also close to a return. But Puig and Hernandez look like they’ll be out until close to the end of the regular season.

The result is an interesting lineup that features Chase Utley (.752 OPS as a Dodger, six homers in 2015) batting cleanup and Seager, who wears No. 5, hitting fifth.

At 21 years and 130 days, Seager is the youngest Dodger to start a game batting fifth since Adrian Beltre in 2000. Before Beltre, the last Dodger this young to bat fifth in the starting lineup was Derrell Griffith in 1964.

After five full months, Clayton Kershaw primed for September

On September 2, 2015

In Health/injuries, Pitching

By Jon Weisman

A year ago, this was when Clayton Kershaw was going to reap the benefit of missing more than a month of the baseball season.

Kershaw was sidelined in 2014 from March 23 to May 6 with a Teres Major muscle strain. That stunk for April, but the upside was that with fewer innings under his belt, he’d be that much stronger for the stretch run.

This year, no such luck (good and bad). Entering his first start of September tonight, Kershaw has thrown 185 innings, nearly 15 percent more than the 161 1/3 he had at this time last season. So does he feel any different, any worse for wear?

“I think I feel the same,” Kershaw said Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t think I put much merit into (the rest angle), if I remember right, last time.”

So do the April innings matter in September and October?

“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe over the course of like 10 years, but in a small sample, probably not. I wouldn’t say so. I feel fine. I think I feel the same as I did last year. As good as you can feel.”

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Kershaw has the second-lowest ERA after September 1 in Major League history since 1920. In his career, Kershaw has a 1.97 ERA after September 1, over 219 1/3 innings — roughly the equivalent of a season (click to enlarge).

If you’re wondering about his performance in the postseason, I’ve addressed that topic most recently here.

Top: The opening spread from the 13-page photo essay on Clayton Kershaw in the September issue of Dodger Insider magazine (click to enlarge).

Marathon win a well-earned celebration for Chris Hatcher

On September 1, 2015

In Health/injuries

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By Jon Weisman

Chris Hatcher, man.

Everyone killed Chris Hatcher this year. Practically from the day after his Opening Day save to the days after he came off the disabled list in August, the abuse this guy took. It’s not that he pitched great. But it was the condemnation, the notion that he was hopeless. Forget about the potential. “DFA him!” Or worse.

Then comes a night like tonight, and this is why I love baseball. For the redemption. For the Juan Uribes. For the Chris Hatchers.

It’s why I’m always so shocked that people are so quick to give up on a player. Because the redemption is all around you.

The season wasn’t on the line tonight. But the psyche was. And Chris Hatcher stepped up and threw three shutout innings, the longest outing of his career, and long enough to get the Dodgers to the bottom of the 14th, when Adrian Gonzalez followed a walk and two singles with a game-winning hit to left field, for a 5-4 Dodger victory.

#WHIFF pic.twitter.com/QkG40t38AH

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 1, 2015

It was a win for Hatcher, but less of a fluke than many fans would realize. Since returning to action August 15, Hatcher has thrown 8 1/3 innings and allowed one run on eight baserunners while striking out 11.

It was a win for the bullpen — admittedly, after Juan Nicasio did surrender a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning. But maybe not so much of a fluke either.

That’s just a week of work, but what a week: 26 innings with a 0.69 ERA (plus one additional inherited run allowed to score) and 9.35 strikeouts per nine innings. The walks are still too high — and it was a walk that set up Nicasio for the blown save — but if you can’t see the blue sky there, you must live for clouds.

Not for nothing, the maligned Jim Johnson pitched two shutout innings (despite hitting his fourth batter as a Dodger). Fellow former Brave reliever Luis Avilan pitched a perfect inning and has retired 10 batters in a row over his last five games, all in crucial situations. Pedro Baez and Kenley Jansen also had shutout innings.

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Don’t let me leave Gonzalez out of this party. It was the slugging first baseman who, after Marlon Byrd’s unfathomable two-run infield single in the third inning gave the Giants the lead, tied this game in the sixth with a two-run home run, his 25th of the year. (One batter later, Andre Ethier’s home run put the Dodgers ahead.)

And it was Gonzalez who, rather than let the Giants start to think they might sneak out of their bases-loaded, none-out jam in the 15th, delivered the first-pitch, no-doubt game-winner.

Moments like Gonzalez’s are the reasons baseball thrills me. Moments like Hatcher’s are the reasons baseball makes me care.

So much, that I don’t even completely regret missing this …

Mattingly said his plan after J.P. Howell pitched the 15th was for Scott Van Slyke to pitch, Mat Latos to play RF. “I’m serious,” he said.

— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) September 1, 2015

Update: Hernandez to DL, Barnes activated, Bolsinger, Thomas, Peralta to join roster Tuesday

On August 31, 2015

Austin Barnes (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Austin Barnes, Mike Bolsinger, Ian Thomas and Joel Peralta are set to be the first additions the Dodgers make Tuesday when the active roster limit expands to 40 players, Don Mattingly confirmed to reporters today.

Barnes today was named to the all-Pacific Coast League team at catcher, honoring a season in which he has a .389 on-base percentage and .479 slugging percentage for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Barnes has nine homers, 12 steals (in 14 attempts), 35 walks and 36 strikeouts. As a Dodger this year, he is 4 for 15 with two walks.

Bolsinger is coming off seven innings of shutout ball with 11 strikeouts Saturday against El Paso. In 46 2/3 innings with Oklahoma City this season, he has a 2.31 ERA with 61 strikeouts, complimenting his 2.83 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 89 innings for the Dodgers.

Thomas finishes his minor-league season with a 4.19 ERA for three different teams, with 58 strikeouts in 58 innings. In the Majors this year, his ERA is 4.11 with Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Peralta, who went on the disabled list with a right neck strain August 11 for the second time this year, made three rehab appearances in the past week for Double-A Tulsa, retiring all nine batters he faced. He has a 5.40 ERA in 25 innings this season for the Dodgers.

Julio Urias, Corey Seager and Jharel Cotton, who are all in Triple-A tonight, will not join the Dodgers on Tuesday, and no statement has been made about if/when they might be added to the 40-man roster.

Update: Kiké Hernandez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, joining Howie Kendrick and Yasiel Puig. Barnes has been activated to take his roster spot.

Yasiel Puig placed on disabled list, Peraza recalled

On August 28, 2015

Cubs at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXXV: Kershawgmalion
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Chase Utley, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Carl Crawford, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Even with rosters expanding in four days, obviating the need to use the disabled list, the Dodgers are convinced enough that Yasiel Puig’s latest hamstring injury will sideline him for long enough to put him on the 15-day disabled list.

Rather than play a man down between now and Tuesday, the Dodgers have called up infielder-outfielder Jose Peraza, who has a .316 on-base percentage and .378 slugging percentage in Triple-A this year, in addition to having a walk and a triple in seven plate appearances for the Dodgers this month.

The timing for Puig’s injury is a drag, considering that he has a .975 OPS over his past 12 games and also keeps opposing baserunners at bay with his arm.

Gonzalez, Puig leave game with injuries

On August 27, 2015

In Health/injuries

By Jon Weisman

Two key parts of the Dodger offense didn’t make it through today’s game at Cincinnati.

Adrian Gonzalez fouled a ball off his knee in the third inning and departed the contest in the fifth. He is day to day with a contusion, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports.

Potentially more serious is the condition of Yasiel Puig, who came up limping after beating out an infield hit in the ninth inning,. With a 2-for-4 day today, Puig has a 10-game hitting streak in which he has a .390 on-base percentage, .526 slugging percentage and .916 OPS.

Shoulder sidelines Yasmani Grandal

On August 25, 2015

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers at Reds, 4:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
A.J. Ellis, C
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Alex Wood, P

By Jon Weisman

Yasmani Grandal is not expected to start before Thursday at the earliest because of an ailing left shoulder, Don Mattingly told reporters today.

Grandal is third on the Dodgers with 140 weighted runs created (wRC+), but he is 3 for 30 with five walks and no extra-base hits in his past 35 plate appearances. Mattingly said there is worry the shoulder condition is altering Grandal’s swing.

The 26-year-old catcher isn’t expected to go on the disabled list, especially with rosters expanding one week from today. But it will mean more work than usual for A.J. Ellis, who is quietly posting his best averages at the plate (.356 on-base percentage, .360 slugging percentage) since 2012.

The Dodgers need improvement from several players as they look to win their first game since August 16. During the current five-game losing streak …

Justin Turner is 1 for 18 with two walks and two errors.
Jimmy Rollins has a single, double and homer in 22 plate appearances.
Adrian Gonzalez has four singles and a walk in 20 plate appearances.
Scott Van Slyke, Carl Crawford and Alex Guerrero are a combined 1 for 28 with one walk.

Rollins’ third-inning home run six days ago at Oakland is the Dodgers’ most recent four-base hit.

https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/636271626946940928https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/636274568764657664

Alex Wood, who takes the mound today for the Dodgers, has been charged with exactly three runs on five hits with three walks in each of his past three starts.

Mat Latos pitched a five-inning simulated game Monday, and is scheduled to start Saturday against the Cubs, with Brett Anderson, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw taking the starts between now and then. Juan Nicasio, as noted Monday, has been activated from the disabled list.

Yasiel Puig returns to lineup

On August 22, 2015

Dodgers at Astros, 4:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Chase Utley, 2B
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Alex Guerrero, DH
(Zack Greinke, P)

By Jon Weisman

Yasiel Puig is back in action today for the Dodgers, who will look to end their 0-for-27, 2-for-56 slump at the plate today at Houston.

Sidelined recently by a mild right hamstring strain, Puig actually brings a five-game hitting streak into the game. He is 6 for his last 17 with two walks and a homer, for a .950 OPS.

Zack Greinke is 4 for 6 this month with two homers, but the designated hitter rule leaves his bat in the rack. The past two times the Dodgers have been no-hit, they have been using DHs (Juan Rivera and Chase Utley).

Dodgers go from aggravated to elated to defeated

On August 18, 2015

In Bullpen, Health/injuries, Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Some notes to pass along after a tough 5-4, 10-inning Dodger loss to the A’s tonight …

Clayton Kershaw lowered his ERA again, to 2.34, after allowing one run in seven innings and 116 pitches. It was a fiery night from Kershaw, who fired a baseball into the Dodger dugout (low enough not to harm anyone) after failing to make a play on an infield chopper to his right.
A.J. Ellis had a tiebreaking three-run home run in the eighth inning and four walks tonight, becoming the first Major Leaguer to do so since Jose Canseco in 1996 (noted by Bob Timmermann). Ellis also had his angry moment, jawing with home-plate umpire Tim Tichenor over a late timeout call.
Pedro Baez surrendered three runs and the lead in the bottom of the eighth. In the past month, opponents had a 0.68 ERA and 0.68 WHIP against Baez with a .200 on-base percentage.
Yimi Garcia pitched a perfect ninth inning, but allowed back-to-back doubles with none out in the 10th to end the game. Garcia had thrown 6 1/3 shutout innings this month, stranding two inherited runners, before those doubles.
Yasiel Puig left tonight’s game in the eighth inning with right hamstring tightness after beating out an infield single. As Ken Gurnick of MLB.com notes, it was a strained left hamstring that sidelined Puig earlier this season.
The Dodgers walked nine times in a loss for the first time since an April 7, 2010 defeat against the Pirates.
Ron Roenicke, Don Mattingly and Farhan Zaidi discussed Roenicke’s hiring as Dodger third-base coach, Gurnick reports.

Dodgers clear Justin Turner for landing

On August 13, 2015