All season long the Los Angeles Dodgers have relied on their depth and versatility to overcome every injury they have faced. That is how rookie outfielder Alex Verdugo earned his way to a starting job in the outfield.
He filled in when A.J. Pollock was required to undergo elbow surgery in April and immediately found success, forcing Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to pencil his name into the lineup every day.
Now, however, Verdugo is the one dealing with an injury. He has not played since Aug. 4, originally being placed on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain which has since developed into a back issue.
Verdugo was on the verge of returning after beginning a rehab assignment, but he suffered a setback that led to spending more time at Camelback Ranch. He received treatment under the hope of still being able to return at some point during the final month of the season.
With only two weeks remaining and the National League Division Series starting at the beginning of October, Roberts indicated Verdugo was not expected back before the playoffs start.
If he continues to progress, Verdugo is targeting a return during the National League Championship Series if the Dodgers are able to advance, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“Right now, it gets tight or stiff and there’s a little bit of pain,” Verdugo said. “It’s been a lot better recently. There’s still a little bit, like when you put your shoes on. It’s progressing the right way. The best-case scenario is the NLCS. It’s been extremely disappointing. But I’ve got to just stay positive. Me being young, no point in further hurting myself or have a setback.”
In 106 games this season, Verdugo is hitting .294/.342/.475 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. He is one of the team’s better contact hitters as he has only struck out 49 times, which becomes important during the postseason when it can be difficult to string hits together.
The Dodgers have had a ‘next man up’ mentality all season, so even if Verdugo is not able to return, they have plenty of other quality options to replace him on the roster. Fellow rookies Gavin Lux and Matt Beaty seem to have both played themselves onto the postseason roster, especially with Verdugo coming back for the NLCS at the earliest.
