The Los Angeles Dodgers lost for the first time in a Clayton Kershaw start since last season, but appeared to have good fortune on their side with Corey Seager and Chris Taylor likely avoiding injury.
Taylor had his feet go out from under him as he attempted to chase down a foul ball down the left-field line. He had a read on it but lost his balance as the bullpen mound became a factor, which later led to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts having some criticism of the layout at Oracle Park.
Disaster nearly struck again in the seventh inning as Seager legged out an infield single. His right foot kicked across the bag, sending the 2016 National League Rookie of the Year down. Seager’s left leg bent awkwardly, jammed into the ground and looked like a bit of a hyperextension.
He was checked on by Roberts and trainer but managed to remain in the game, and the Dodgers’ skipper believes his shortstop should be fine, via SportsNet LA:
“Corey is OK. I think it more shook him up a little bit. We’ll kind of evaluate him but I think he’ll be OK.”
Other than some grimaces while he was on the bases, Seager didn’t show any effects of tripping or sign of injury. He caught a pop-up in the bottom of the seventh inning, had a normal gate as he chased down Brandon Belt’s bunt single up the third-base line and turned an inning-ending double play in the eighth inning.
He went 2-for-4 at the plate, adding to what’s been an impressive hot stretch. Seager got off to a slow start this season as he needed to shake off rust from essentially missing a full year after undergoing Tommy John surgery and later an arthroscopic hip operation.
Even with back-to-back losses for the first time since losing two in a row to the Chicago Cubs from April 23-24, the Dodgers still sit atop the National League standings and are a half-game back of the Minnesota Twins for the best record in baseball.
They are dealing with minor ailments, including Justin Turner still overcoming right hamstring tightness and Alex Verdugo still battling back soreness that crept up from playing on the artificial surface at Tropicana Field last month.
