The Tulsa Drillers, the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, are suspending their bat dog program after top prospect Kendall George suffered an injury while jumping out of the way of a dog while heading back to the dugout, according to Jack Harris of the California Post.
George injured his left knee while jogging back to the dugout after crossing home plate. He made a quick move and jumped to avoid the bat dog, but landed awkwardly and injured his leg. He was seen on the broadcast showing signs of pain and limping back to the bench.
George underwent imaging to assess severity, and early reports suggested the Dodgers feared the worst, but it seems he’s avoided a more serious issue. The team has yet to confirm the severity or specific injury, but the latest belief is that George suffered a moderate patellar injury.
The Tulsa Drillers, the Dodgers’ double-A affiliate team, are suspending their bat dog program for the immediate future, according to a team spokesperson, following a freak injury to outfield prospect Kendall George earlier this week.
The 21-year-old has been in the midst of a breakout in his third full season in the Dodgers farm system, batting a career-high .333/.417/.397 with 26 stolen bases. The speedy outfielder raised his slugging percentage by nearly 30 points while simultaneously improving his bat-to-ball skills.
Selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft, George is one of the many highly-regarded outfield prospects in the system, and he was ranked as the Dodgers’ No. 13 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
Tulsa Drillers bat dogs
The Drillers have used bat dogs over the last five seasons and have become a popular addition to ONEOK Field. The team only let the dogs out for Friday home games and holidays, and that remained the case this season. George suffered his injury on Memorial Day.
Ultimately, it was a freak accident and the first of its kind, but the team is now taking a better-safe-than-sorry approach. It’s unclear whether they will return at a later date, possibly with additional training.
Bat dogs have become somewhat common across Minor League and non-professional baseball leagues. Last year, the Washington Nationals added the idea when they called up their bat dog, Bruce, from Triple-A to make his MLB debut.
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