The Los Angeles Dodgers’ unraveling during the 2015 National League Division Series was largely blamed on a shaky bullpen, just as it was the year prior. However, there were certainly other factors at play against the New York Mets.
Namely, key contributors weren’t producing at the level they had through much of the season. Joc Pederson went through a horrendous slump after a hot start, and there was a drop off at the plate from Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner.
It became known Grandal (shoulder) and Turner (knee) were playing through injury, and both underwent surgery after the Dodgers were eliminated.
Aside from those who are still hoping to be reinstated from the disabled list, injury concerns among players on the active roster has begun to creep up.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed prior to Saturday’s game that Grandal was not in the lineup because of a sore right elbow, via Time Warner Cable SportsNet LA:
“Grandal’s got a sore elbow that’s been bothering him. … It’s a bit little more than a regular knick, it’s something that’s bothered him for awhile. We wanted to get ahead of it, he wanted to be in there (Saturday).”
Grandal was limited by lingering forearm soreness during Spring Training, and a hand injury and ankle contusion this season. Although there wasn’t any ill-effect from it, Grandal wasn’t done any favors Friday night when he took a foul ball off his right shoulder.
The 27-year-old is batting .223/.329/.471 with 13 doubles, 25 home runs, 64 RBI, a .343 woBA, 117 wRC+ and 116 OPS+. Grandal remarked in June he was making strides toward getting healthy, and that wound up leading to a hot July.
However, he cooled in August and has struggled thus far in 14 September games, going just 9-for-47 with four home runs and nine RBI. Grandal was not in the lineup Sunday in series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks as left-hander Robbie Ray started.
