It is no secret that right fielder Josh Reddick has struggled since the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him from the Oakland Athletics prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. Prior to coming to Los Angeles, he was batting .296/.368/.449 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 68 games with the Athletics.
Since the trade, Reddick is batting just .149/.208/.164 over 18 games, with his only extra-base hit a double that came Aug. 14 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reddick didn’t collect his first hit with the Dodgers until his fourth game.
Some of his frustration appeared to reach a boiling point on Saturday when television cameras caught Reddick slam his helmet into the ground while walking into the tunnel.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t have his slumping outfielder in the lineup Sunday against a left-handed starter, though Reddick did make a pinch-hit appearance.
Reddick was then scratched from the lineup on Monday due to a jammed right middle finger that affected his throwing. Again, the 29-year-old was used as a pinch-hitter.
According to Andy McCullough of the LA Times, Reddick sustained the injury after ordering room service and believes the only place for him to go at this point is up:
Josh Reddick’s difficult early tenure as a Dodger took a comical but painful turn on Sunday evening, when he injured his finger when his hand got caught in a hotel door. Reddick was trying to hold the door open for a room-service cart.
“I’m at rock bottom right now,” Reddick said. “But I will climb out.”
The Dodgers did not miss Reddick on Monday, as they scored a season-high 18 runs. Despite Reddick’s struggles, they are 10-8 in games he has played, with his teammates combining to pick up the slack.
However, production will be needed from Reddick if the Dodgers hope to win a fourth consecutive National League West division title and make a deep postseason run.
