Even with their winning streak snapped at six games, the Los Angeles Dodgers have recently played some of their best baseball of the season. That’s despite being without starting third baseman Justin Turner and center fielder Joc Pederson.
Turner, who was leading the National League with a .379 batting average at the time of suffering a hamstring strain, has been out since May 19. Pederson sustained a sprained neck on May 24 as a result of a collision with Yasiel Puig.
There was optimism Pederson would avoid the DL despite the neck injury, which he did in some regard, but he was put on the seven-day concussion disabled list.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had indicated Turner was a candidate to rejoin the team on their current road trip, while Pederson wasn’t expected to return during that same time frame.
However, Roberts now said he doesn’t expect either to come off the DL through at least the Dodgers’ three-game series against the Washington Nationals that begins Monday, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“I put Joc and J.T. in that same bucket, where it is possible, but with the concussion and the neck, and with the hamstring, I think we’ve shown that we’re on the cautious side. I would rather err on giving J.T. an extra day or two than to try to get him early.”
In addition to naming Turner as a candidate to return during the road trip, Roberts said the third baseman third baseman was likely to go on a short rehab assignment before being reinstated. Turner has been completing running drills while with the team at Busch Stadium.
It’s unclear if Pederson would also require a rehab assignment. With Turner and Pederson on the disabled list, the likes of Chase Utley and Chris Taylor have excelled in expanded roles. For Taylor, that’s meant growing accustomed to life as a center fielder.
Both Pederson and Turner are eligible to come off the DL.
