The Los Angeles Dodgers lineup Tuesday night in the second game of the Freeway Series features only two players who started Opening Day — Logan Forsythe and Joc Pederson. Yasiel Puig, Corey Seager and Justin Turner are notable everyday players who are active but not playing.
Entering play against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seager has missed the past three games due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain. He again went through drills with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel and a trainer onlooking.
“Corey moved really well. He did everything he needed to, checked all the boxes,” Roberts said. Though, Seager was still facing the prospect of going through batting practice, which was considered another hurdle.
“As I understand from Corey, he initially aggravated it on a swing,” Roberts added. “He’s available potentially (off the bench), and obviously we haven’t ruled out a potential backdate of a DL. Right now, I see him as active. Whether we change that or not, remains to be seen.”
Although the Dodgers in some sense are playing shorthanded, Roberts noted the club has carried a four-man bench for much of the season. As their active roster is currently constructed, that’s still at Roberts disposal even if you remove Seager from consideration.
Yasiel Puig is not starting for a second time in the past three games; he entered as a pinch-hitter in Sunday’s series finale against the Colorado Rockies. Puig was not dressed and initially did not join his teammates for batting practice on Tuesday.
He later emerged from the clubhouse to take swings with one of the final hitting groups. “I just talked to Yasiel, and he’s got the knee that flared up,” Roberts said.
“There’s also been a little bit of a hamstring (issue). Just to keep him off the field and get him in the training room (made sense). To put Yasiel out there when he’s not feeling as good as he can, I think a day will help. It gets worse when he decelerates. With his injury history, to give him a day made sense.”
Puig is available off the bench against the Angels. He’s seemingly played through discomfort since last week’s series with the Colorado Rockies.
Scott Kazmir allowed a home run to the first batter he faced in a rehab start with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, but the outing otherwise was “very encouraging” and Kazmir “really threw well,” Roberts said. Kazmir is scheduled to throw four innings or 60 pitches in another rehab start for the Quakes.
Chris Hatcher, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list last Friday due to thoracic inflammation, is feeling the effects of the injury.
“He played catch, still feeling some signs of it,” Roberts said. “I think for us, we’re expecting to get him back either when he’s available or shortly thereafter.”
