Jason Heyward has been out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup the past three games — although one featured a left-handed starter on the mound — and appears bound for the 10-day injured list because of lower back trouble.
It’s an issue that first popped up during the final game of the exhibition Freeway Series on March 26 and has seemingly lingered since despite Heyward being in the lineup for the Dodger Stadium opener and again two days later.
Heyward met with Dr. Robert Watkins and had scans taken of his back, which were negative. Even with the encouraging news, it seems as if Heyward is not close to returning and a trip to the IL could be likely when a decision is made on Wednesday.
“It came back negative, but where he’s at, still stiff, back locked up. So day-to-day. Don’t see him available [Tuesday] and I think [Wednesday] we’ve got to make a decision on what we’re going to do. Right now, active but not going to participate,” said manager Dave Roberts.
“Unless something really changes, I know the last couple days it hasn’t been good, but I think it’s giving us another day to kind of see how he feels. But like I said, I think [Wednesday] we’re going to have to make a decision.”
Dodgers turning to Taylor Trammell without Jason Heyward
In a move that signals what the Dodgers’ decision could be on Wednesday, Taylor Trammell was claimed off of waivers after being designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners. Matt Gage was released in a corresponding move in order to make room for Trammel on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.
“Once this move is made, obviously we claimed Trammell, so that will be the left-handed bat,” Roberts said of Heyward’s roster spot.
The waiver claim on Trammel is the textbook definition of a lottery ticket-type decision. He is a former highly-regarded prospect, originally being picked 35th overall in the 2016 MLB draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Trammell reached as high as No. 16 in MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospect rankings.
He has struggled to live up to the top prospect status during limited time in the Major Leagues across three seasons. He played in just 116 games with the Mariners from 2021-2023 and never hit above .200. However, being a left-handed power bat was Trammell’s calling card as a prospect, and that profile is valuable to a Major League roster.
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