Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez reported for Spring Training last week not quite healthy, as he was suffering from inflammation in his right elbow, which Gonzalez described as tennis elbow.
The minor injury had already sidelined Gonzalez for more than one week, called for two weeks of inactivity and was thought to possibly keep him from playing for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Gonzalez and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts otherwise expressed minimal concern over the matter.
The Dodgers held their first full-squad workout Tuesday morning at Camelback Ranch, and though Gonzalez did not participate, his elbow is in better standing, according to Alanna Rizzo of SportsNet LA:
.@Adrian_ElTitan's right elbow is pain free. He's still not expected to swing a bat for at least another week.
— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) February 21, 2017
Gonzalez remains hopeful of playing for Mexico in the WBC, however that won’t be determined until next month when he is examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Adrian Gonzalez (elbow inflammation) won't know if he can play in the WBC until #DrNealElAttrache clears him in the first week of March.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) February 21, 2017
Gonzalez has been extremely durable throughout his MLB career, playing in at least 156 games each year since 2006, which was his first full season in the Majors.
The 34-year-old has suffered from a bulging disc in his neck and nerve issues that affected the lower half of his body, particularly last season. He still managed to play 156 games, and while his production dipped a bit, Gonzalez was largely a steady force in the middle of the Dodgers lineup.
Although Gonzalez prides himself on answering the bell every day, Roberts recently said that he plans to scale back the veteran first baseman’s workload in 2017, so that he can be healthy once the postseason begins.
