Coming off a season in which they finished just two wins shy of reaching the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers return the same core for 2017. It required significant financial commitment, with Los Angeles re-signing Rich Hill, Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner for a combined $194 million.
The trio is reunited with the likes of Adrian Gonzalez, Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager, among others. Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training on Wednesday, and though some position players have already arrived at Camelback Ranch, they’re not due in camp until Monday.
On Friday, Adrian Gonzalez was one of multiple players to check-in early. However, he’ll be inactive for two weeks due to suffering from tennis elbow, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
Adrian Gonzalez has tennis (right) elbow from working out and can't swing a bat for two weeks. WBC availability in doubt.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) February 17, 2017
After playing through pain, Gonzalez received an epidural last May to treat lower back pain. He missed three consecutive games, then didn’t start in a fourth though appeared as a pinch-hitter.
Prior to that May 17-20 stretch, Gonzalez last missed three straight games in August 2005. The last time Gonzalez did not appear in four consecutive games was twice in September 2004 after joining the Texas Rangers from the Minor Leagues.
Gonzalez has suffered from a bulging disc in his neck and nerve issues that affected the lower half of his body. It’s done little to affect his durability however, as Gonzalez has appeared in at least 156 games since becoming a full-time player for the San Diego Padres in 2006.
Over parts of five seasons with the Dodgers, Gonzalez is batting .283/.344/.463 with 147 doubles, 98 home runs and 418 RBI over 664 games.
As for potentially missing the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Mexico begins play against Italy on March 9 at Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara.
With Gonzalez temporarily unavailable, the Dodgers could get an extended look at prospect Cody Bellinger, who is in big league camp a second straight year.
