You would be hard pressed to find a team that’s been ravaged by injuries during Spring Training the way the Los Angeles Dodgers have this year. As days and weeks went by, concerns extended beyond the pitching staff as several position players began to go down.
Set to break camp this week and return to California for three final exhibition games, the Dodgers face plenty of uncertainty throughout their roster. Corey Seager has recovered well from a left knee sprain and Yasiel Puig’s hamstring tightness isn’t believed serious.
However, Yasmani Grandal, Alex Guerrero and Howie Kendrick are among those who haven’t been able to remain 100 percent healthy. Grandal (forearm soreness) and Guerrero (knee soreness) are dealing with nagging injuries, while Kendrick is now saddled by calf tightness after overcoming a sore groin earlier in camp.
Kendrick was scratched from Thursday’s lineup and projected to miss a few days. While there’s been improvement in his calf, the veteran infielder is unlikely to initially join the Dodgers for the exhibition Freeway Series and may begin the 2016 season on the disabled list, per Andy McCullough of the LA Times:
Howie Kendrick (calf) will stay back in AZ for at least a day to play in minor league game on Thursday. He may start the year on the DL.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) March 27, 2016
Kendrick previously missed 10 days with the aforementioned groin issue. He returned March 15, played back-to-back games March 15 and March 16, and in three consecutive games from March 18-20.
The 32 year old is batting .261/.320/.522 with one home run, one double and two RBIs in 24 plate appearances over eight games this spring. Kendrick has logged time at second and third base as part of a versatile Dodgers infield. Kendrick missed 34 games last season because of a strained left hamstring.
