The Los Angeles Dodgers continued to be bit by the injury bug this weekend with Yency Almonte suffering a right knee sprain that led to Victor González getting recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace him on the active roster.
Almonte sustained the injury during the ninth inning of Friday’s matchup, when his right knee buckled upon throwing a pitch. He entered the game in the eighth inning and was one out away from sealing the Dodgers’ 6-1 win.
Almonte initially remained in the game before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed him after struggling with throwing two more pitches. “He’s got a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee,” Roberts said of the extent of Almonte’s injury.
“He’s on the IL, so obviously we know it’s going to be 15 days. Hopefully it’s not much more beyond that.”
Almonte has had an up-and-down season as he is 3-2 with a 5.06 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 1.40 WHIP and 9.2 strikeouts per nine in 49 appearances. He posted a career-best 1.02 ERA over 33 games last year.
Yency Almonte felt responsibility to save Dodgers bullpen
It was somewhat of a surprise that Almonte attempted to stay in the game on Friday because he felt a personal responsibility to preserve the Dodgers bullpen by retiring the final batter.
“I thought I could get through it, but obviously I couldn’t. I was just trying to finish the inning,” Almonte said. “I don’t want to have someone else have to get up and get going, especially quick.
“I’d rather just fight through it and get out of the inning, but that obviously didn’t happen.”
Roberts and a Dodgers trainer checked on Almonte, who threw a practice pitch after lobbying to remain in the game. However, Roberts quickly emerged from the dugout when the right-hander continued to be hobbled.
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