The Los Angeles Dodgers have been bitten by the injury bug of late, with Chris Taylor among the latest to be affected. The 32-year-old was removed from Monday’s game against the New York Mets with left side discomfort and has not played since.
Although oblique trouble can make for a long-term injury, Taylor is hopeful to be more on the mild side.
“I don’t think it’s too bad,” he said. “I’ve never had any oblique things before. Just trying to be cautious with it, make sure I don’t push it and make it worse and make it into something where it has to be a longer absence than it is.”
Taylor will not undergo any testing and expects to avoid an injured list stint. “I don’t know,” Taylor said of when an official decision may be made. “We haven’t had that conversation. I don’t expect to go on the IL though.”
Taylor confirmed he suffered the injury while making a throw from left field and has already resumed hitting. “I came in the cage and swung and it actually didn’t really bother me swinging. It was more the throwing that I felt it,” Taylor said.
He rarely exits games due to pain but noted in this case it was more from a standpoint of not wanting to make matters worse. “Really, it didn’t have anything to do with the tolerance. I think it’s just the nature of the injury,” Taylor explained.
“I think there’s some things that you can try to play through and be OK. And then there’s other things you have to be smart about. The last thing I want to do is make something that’s going to make me miss a day or two, and turn it into a four-week injury that doesn’t go away.
“So I just decided it was probably best that I say something and be smart about it.”
Dodgers’ options at shortstop if Chris Taylor misses time
If the Dodgers make a roster move involving Taylor, it would likely lead to Luke Williams and Yonny Hernández taking on the bulk of the playing time as Miguel Rojas was placed on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain.
Mookie Betts is another candidate who could fill in at shortstop as well.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he’s hopeful Taylor could be back in the lineup at some point this weekend.
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