Justin Turner returned to the Dodger clubhouse today and revealed just how serious his thigh infection was in an interview with reporters, chronicled by David Adler of MLB.com.
— Jon Weisman
Category: Health/injuries (Page 12 of 33)
Nationals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. Jimmy Rollins, SS
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Zack Greinke, P
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Zack Greinke, P
By Jon Weisman
Yimi Garcia has returned to the Dodgers from Triple-A Oklahoma City, with Joel Peralta going on the disabled list with a right neck strain.
In his past six games — five in the minors, one July 28 with the Dodgers — Garcia hasn’t allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings, scattering six baserunners while striking out six. With the Dodgers this year, Garcia — who turns 25 a week from today — has a 3.99 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
Peralta, who has been having trouble finishing pitches, has allowed 12 runs in 14 1/3 innings since coming off the disabled list in June. Before that, in April, he pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Dodger bullpen has allowed runs in nine of its past 10 games, but don’t blame Pedro Baez. He has a streak of 11 consecutive scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts against eight baserunners. Forced into action Monday after others were used Sunday, Baez and Kenley Jansen combined to strike out seven of the nine batters they faced, using 35 pitches.
Nationals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Jose Peraza, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Alex Guerrero, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Jose Peraza, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Scott Van Slyke, 1B
Kiké Hernandez, CF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Alex Guerrero, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Brett Anderson, P
By Jon Weisman
“Life moves pretty fast,” warned Ferris Bueller, no doubt with Jose Peraza in mind.
With Howie Kendrick and his strained left hamstring officially headed to the disabled list, Peraza — the 21-year-old infielder acquired from Atlanta in the Dodgers’ July 30 three-team deal — has been called up to make his Major League debut for Los Angeles.
Born on April 30, 1994 — the day that the Dodgers rallied from a 10-5, eighth-inning deficit to beat the Mets — Peraza is poised to become the youngest Dodger since Clayton Kershaw made his debut on May 25, 2008 at 20 years and 67 days. And, he’ll be the Dodgers’ youngest position player since Adrian Beltre, who was 19 when he was called up in 1998.
Peraza has a .318 on-base percentage and .379 slugging percentage in Triple-A this season, numbers that have soared to .415 and .590 since moving to Oklahoma City. He has also stolen 27 bases in 34 attempts this year.
Kendrick has a .341 OBP and .418 slugging percentage in his first season with the Dodgers and is fifth among National League second basemen in wins above replacement. Since July 20, Kendrick was hitting .396/.420/.583.
Also tonight, Scott Van Slyke is making his second career start batting in the No. 3 spot, and first since May 15, 2012. Kiké Hernandez is making his third career start batting fifth.
Also, Carlos Frias is back on the disabled list with lower back tightness. Frias was optioned to the minors earlier this month, but technically, that action has been voided.
Update: Van Slyke and Puig have shifted spots in the lineup.
[mlbvideo id=”352652883″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]
By Jon Weisman
“Darkest before the dawn” can be a tough sell, especially when “darkest before it gets even darker” is also true. It’s hard to know whether it’s midnight or 5 a.m.
Individual games and series disappear quickly behind you, succumbing to the omnipotence of “What just happened?” Just as the sweep over the Angels or the two victories against the Phillies are already distant memories, so too will be the three excruciating Dodger losses this weekend to the Pirates. A walkoff defeat in the 10th, a one-run loss with the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, and then Sunday’s come-from-ahead, 13-6 electroshock featuring a numbing nine-run seventh.
By this time Tuesday, we’ll be talking about how the Dodgers found a ray of daylight against the Nationals, or how they slipped deeper into the void by losing their fourth game in a row for the first time this year. Los Angeles is 5-0 after it has lost three games this season.
Complicating our vision is what appears to be a rather serious injury to Howie Kendrick, a strained left hamstring that will receive an MRI today but that already has the Dodgers preparing for an extended absence. Until third baseman Justin Turner returns, the Dodgers are without half their starting infield. Kiké Hernandez, hitting .400/.450/.714 (but mostly against southpaws) is a candidate to take some at-bats, with newly acquired Jose Peraza (.385/.415/.590 for Triple-A Oklahoma City) perhaps getting a call.
The Dodgers are also looking for salvation for their bullpen. Saturday’s four shutout innings ended a streak of eight straight games that the Dodger relievers had allowed a run, but faced with an equal task Sunday, Jim Johnson entered a nightmare, with eight batters reaching base, interrupted only by a sacrifice fly and topped off by a three-run homer off Joel Peralta by Jung Ho Kang.
So yes, darkness.
At the outset of Sunday’s game, I ranted out several tweets that might have seemed ill-timed by the ugly seventh inning, but that actually were all the more appropriate. Here is the text:
- Dodgers have been hustling on the bases and in the field all weekend, but nothing will sway ESPN from calling them lethargic.
- (Yasiel) Puig not starting today, or we’d have heard how he’s most lethargic of all, a day after a 9-6 forceout and hustle down the basepaths.
- ESPN also said “I don’t know what this team is,” even though, like ’em or not, HR power and front-line SP have defined the team for months.
- Have Dodgers been inconsistent? Days in first place: Dodgers 115, Giants 3. Months below .500: Dodgers 0, Giants 3.
- No, Dodgers haven’t proven they’re the best team in baseball. This time last year, neither had the Giants.
- Should Dodgers be better? Sure, why not? But how much better? Team has 62 wins. A 100-win pace would be 68 wins, or 1.5 extra wins per month.
- Happily accept idea that there’s room to improve. Absolutely refuse to buy notion that a team playing .564 ball is a huge disappointment.
- Looking for improvement? If this matters to you, here’s Dodgers’ record vs. winning teams since July 1: Road: 4-5, home: 5-1, total: 9-6. (After Sunday, you can add one more road loss to this.)
Imperfection is not the same as incompetence. Not having reached the ideal — especially in August — does not mean the season is lost.
Look, I understand that until a new World Series title is won, many Dodger fans live in a binary world, where nothing is good unless everything is good. I understand that. I do. I could feel the rising anger with every run the Pirates scored.
I also know that the Dodgers could have the best record in baseball, and while the national coverage in that case might be good, for sure there would still be concern here at home over what was lacking. Going 26 years and 10 months without a championship makes insecurity a permanent condition.
There are good signs for this team, and there are bad. But the best sign of all is there are still games to play. Whether it’s midnight or 5 a.m., the night is far from over.
By Jon Weisman
To make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired pitchers Luis Avilan, Jim Johnson and Alex Wood, the Dodgers have optioned Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee to Triple-A Oklahoma City and placed Justin Turner on the 15-day disabled list.
A’s at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Brett Anderson, P
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Brett Anderson, P
By Jon Weisman
Justin Turner is out of tonight’s starting lineup after having to go to the emergency room today to address a worsening infection in his leg.
The problem began with something “like a pimple” while Turner was in New York, according to Dodger manager Don Mattingly. He was given antibiotics, but the condition continued to worsen over Monday’s off day.
“He came in today, and it was a lot worse,” Mattingly said. “We should know more by the end of the night. It had kind of blown up — it wasn’t very pretty.”
Turner hit .424/.457/.727 with four doubles and two homers on the recently completed road trip, capped by his two-base hit in the Dodgers’ ninth-inning rally Sunday in New York. Turner went out for a pinch-runner after that double, but that was not health-related.
Among all Major Leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances, Turner is fifth in weighted runs created, behind only Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera. He is 16th among big-leaguers in Wins Above Replacement.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
000 000 000 000 000 000 00^ 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 00 – 0
“Oxygen! We need oxygen here!”
The indomitable Zack Greinke put another eight zeroes on his opponents’ scoreboard today in the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory at Washington, extending his streak of consecutive innings without allowing a run to 43 2/3.
Passing the 41-inning streak that Clayton Kershaw had last year, Greinke’s scoreless inning streak is now the third-longest in Los Angeles Dodger history, behind Orel Hershiser’s MLB-record 59 and Don Drysdale’s 58. It’s also the longest streak in the Majors since Hershiser. Bob Gibson (47 innings in 1968) is the only pitcher since 1961 with a longer streak than Greinke’s, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Greinke and Kershaw have combined to pitch 47 innings in July and have allowed one run. That’s a 0.19 ERA.
What else? How much time you got?
- Greinke lowered his 2015 ERA from 1.39 to 1.30.
- He ran his streak of consecutive batters retired to 28 in a row — encompassing a hidden perfect game — before allowing a third-inning single to Michael Taylor (whom Greinke soon picked off).
- Bryce Harper’s walk in the fourth was the first allowed by Greinke pitcher in 22 innings.
- In striking out a season-high 11 today, Greinke has 42 strikeouts and four walks during his scoreless streak.
- Greinke has retired 59 of the past 64 batters he has faced.
- No runner has reached third base against Greinke since the first inning June 23 — a streak of 35 2/3 innings.
- No runner has reached second base against Greinke since the third inning July 4 — a streak of 20 innings.
Opponents are batting .129 (19 for 147) with a .158 on-base percentage and .150 slugging percentage during Greinke’s 43 2/3-inning scoreless streak, which is detailed right here.
Greinke needed virtually every bit of his excellence today, because the Dodgers couldn’t drive in a run against Max Scherzer for six innings today. However, thanks to Andre Ethier’s leadoff double in the fourth, the first sacrifice of Yasmani Grandal’s professional career and then, of all things, a Scherzer wild pitch, the Dodgers scratched across what they needed to put Greinke ahead.
By Jon Weisman
Three cheers for Brandon Beachy, who no longer has to say his last Major League game was August 20, 2013.
The 28-year-old right-hander officially put his second Tommy John surgery behind him, going four innings and throwing 78 pitches tonight, before being replaced at the start of the fifth inning by Chin-hui Tsao.
His fastball ran between 88-93 mph, with his slider at 82-85 mph.
Beachy was touched up for three runs in the third inning, allowing a leadoff single to pitcher Taylor Jungmann after five foul balls and two outs later, long doubles to the left-field wall that Andre Ethier got near but couldn’t glove. (On the first, the ball ricocheted off the wall, then Ethier’s knee, then into the stands, and was ruled a ground-rule double.)
Watching Beachy, the one thing that was hard not to notice was how few swinging strikes he had. In those 78 pitches, Brewer batters swung and missed at three, taking 10 for called strikes, compared with 19 fouls and 14 put in play. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful step forward for a pitcher who has certainly put in countless hours toward making it back.
Update: Beachy was mostly unhappy with how he pitched, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com …
“I was really excited to get out there and I’m really disappointed now,” said Beachy. “It’s not the way I pictured it for 23 months, but it is what it is. It took me way too long to get settled in. I’ve just got to be better than that.
“I fought to get the ball today and didn’t back that up the way I wanted. That’s where my disappointment is.”
Said Don Mattingly: “A little bit rusty for me. But you can also see what’s there, if he gets his command where he needs it. You see the stuff there.”
By Jon Weisman
A day after Brandon Beachy threw 92 pitches in six innings of his fifth rehab start from his second Tommy John surgery, Don Mattingly did not rule out the 28-year-old right-hander as a possible starter for the Dodgers against the Brewers on Saturday.
While cautioning that the Dodgers weren’t near a decision and were considering a number of candidates, Mattingly conveyed an upbeat report on Beachy, saying he touched 93 mph Monday, though he did allow 12 baserunners in those six innings while striking out five.
“He’s throwing the ball well,” Mattingly said. “We haven’t really gotten to the candidates for this weekend. We know he’s feeling good. … In fact, his velocity was kind of back to where he was in the past.
“One of the things we’ve talked about a lot with Brandon, was to give him the time not only be physically be ready but mentally be at the point where he’s ready to compete. … He could be a guy that we use.”
Beachy’s last MLB start was August 20, 2013 with Atlanta. He has a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings in his 46-game, 267 2/3-inning big-league career.
An injured Chad Billingsley leaves the game on August 24, 2012. (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
Chad Billingsley’s long and winding road has wound its way back to Dodger Stadium, where he will pitch tonight for the first time in more than two years — and for the first time ever as a member of the visiting team.
By Jon Weisman
As was suspected, Carlos Frias has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 1) with lower back tightness, and Daniel Coulombe has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the fifth time since May 4.
Frias said he expects to return shortly after All-Star break, will need one rehab start. Felt lower back discomfort last three starts.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2015
From May 30 to June 9, Frias averaged nearly seven innings over his three starts, with a 1.77 ERA, though he allowed 29 baserunners against nine strikeouts. In four starts since, he has barely averaged five innings, with a 5.66 ERA (36 baserunners/12 strikeouts).
Juan Nicasio, who made one spot start this year for the Dodgers, last pitched June 30, throwing 29 pitches that night. The Dodgers haven’t announced whether they will call up a pitcher to take Frias’ start Monday, but that seems to be likely rather than going with a bullpen game.
Mattingly said Brandon Beachy is not an option to start Monday. Also would prefer not to start Juan Nicasio
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) July 5, 2015
With the Dodgers this year, Coulombe has appeared in four games and allowed runs all four times. He has pitched shutout ball in his last three outings at Oklahoma City, with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Coulombe’s 2015 itinerary:
- March 24: Optioned to Oklahoma City
- May 4: Recalled from Oklahoma City
- May 6: Optioned to Oklahoma City
- May 14: Recalled from Oklahoma City
- May 15: Optioned to Oklahoma City
- June 2: Recalled from Oklahoma City
- June 5: Optioned to Oklahoma City
- June 18: Recalled from Oklahoma City
- June 22: Optioned to Oklahoma City
- July 5: Recalled from Oklahoma City
Mets at Dodgers, 4:15 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P
By Jon Weisman
While Zack Greinke and Mike Bolsinger are set to go in this weekend’s remaining games against the Mets, Carlos Frias’ start Monday against Philadelphia is uncertain.
From Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Frias has been dealing with lower back stiffness in his past two starts, lasting only five innings in both. Mattingly described the pain to be on the side of his lower back.
“Everything came out totally clean as far as structural problems, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still feeling something,” Mattingly said.
If Frias is unable to go Monday, Ian Thomas could be a fill-in, although Mattingly said that there have been no definite plans made as far as a potential replacement.
In the meantime, we’ve got Greinke vs. Matt Harvey tonight, followed by music and fireworks. Enjoy.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Diego Padres Friday, April 24, 2015 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The Dodgers beat the Padres 3-0. Photo by Jon SooHoo/©Los Angeles Dodgers,LLC 2015.
Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXVI: Kershawming to America
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P
Kershaw CCXXVI: Kershawming to America
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P
By Jon Weisman
Carl Crawford was in fine spirits today as he made a short stop at Dodger Stadium today before resuming his rehab work at Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Crawford has been sidelined since April 27 with a right oblique injury, but contended that the time has been anything but idle.
“Trust me, they work around it,” Crawford said. “One thing I try to do is keep my legs strong, make sure I can still run, do the things that I do when I play. My legs feel good — I feel like I can steal a base at any time, I’ll run down balls in the outfield. The only thing I need to do now is play, swing the bat as much as I can. … I’d like to be back as soon as possible.”
Don Mattingly initially stated today that he didn’t expect Crawford back on the active roster before the All-Star Break, then backtracked slightly.
Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Mike Bolsinger, P
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Mike Bolsinger, P
By Jon Weisman
Carl Crawford, who has been sidelined since April 27 with a right oblique injury, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with three games at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga beginning Tuesday, Don Mattingly told reporters today.
Crawford is then expected to move on to extend that assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City, while the Dodgers return home for their 10-game homestand that precedes the All-Star Break.
The 33-year-old has a .260 on-base percentage and .408 slugging percentage in 50 plate appearances before the injury. That .668 on-base percentage nearly matches the .684 OPS he had in the first half of 2014, a figure that declined to .601 through August 9 last year.
From August 10 through the end of the 2014 regular season, Crawford turned things around 540 degrees (yeah, that much!), with a .463 OBP and .606 slugging in his final 135 plate appearances.
By Jon Weisman
Although Paco Rodriguez was seeing some progress in rehab, it was not enough.
The 24-year-old left was examined Thursday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who recommended an arthroscopy to remove loose bodies in the back of Rodriguez’s elbow. Surgery will be performed July 2, with Rodriguez expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks. That figures to put Rodriguez out of action at least until rosters expand in September.
A Dodger second-round draft pick in 2012, Rodriguez became the first from that entire draft to reach the Major Leagues, and from in 61 innings (87 games) 2012-13, he had a 2.21 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Rodriguez has thrown 24 1/3 big-league innings since, with a 3.33 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 8.9 K/9. He most recently pitched for the Dodgers on May 29.
