As the Los Angeles Dodgers inch closer to a fifth consecutive National League West title, they are dealing with injuries to key contributors Corey Seager and Justin Turner. The All-Star third baseman was removed Thursday after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.
Turner was sent for an X-ray, which came back negative, and he was diagnosed with a contusion. His early exit left the Dodgers without two key bats, as Seager was not in the lineup for the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.
He fouled a ball off his right ankle on Wednesday and had X-rays following the loss. Seager was seen walking with a limp, but the imaging came back negative.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated the day off may have been the first of multiple games the 23-year-old will be kept on the bench, according to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“We’ll just keep reevaluating,” Roberts said before Thursday’s series finale against the Phillies. “Hopefully, it’s a couple-day thing. And even tomorrow, we’ll see. I’m probably thinking about keeping him out of the lineup for a couple days.”
A sore right elbow, which may require offseason surgery, recently rendered Seager to only pinch-hit duty. He completed a four-day throwing program and was back at shortstop on Sept. 8. Roberts said the elbow trouble is an issue Seager will need to manage for the remainder of the year.
Aside from being up against the playoffs soon beginning, the Dodgers’ slide coincided with Seager not being in the lineup. The team is 5-8 since he returned to a starting role, with Seager appearing in all but one of the 13 games.
The Dodgers have maintained the elbow trouble only affects Seager when throwing, but he’s hit a pedestrian .239/.265/.293 with three extra-base hits (two doubles, one home run) since the series with the Detroit Tigers, when it first became known he was dealing with discomfort.
