Dodgers News: Howie Kendrick Improving, Hopeful To Avoid Disabled List
Prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers making the move official Friday, word spread outfielder Scott Schebler had joined the club from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Given the concern over Howie Kendrick’s stiff right knee, believing the second baseman was headed for the disabled list wasn’t beyond reason.
However, the corresponding move was instead optioning relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe back to Oklahoma City. As for Kendrick’s knee, it responded well to ice and rest. “I did it in the second inning [Wednesday] and I played the rest of the game with the way it was,” he said prior to Friday’s game.
“Once my adrenaline wore off I knew it was going to be pretty sore. After the flight it was stiff, and then yesterday I came in and it was stiff. But after what we did yesterday [Thursday], a lot of ice, it feels really good today.” At the time of addressing the media Kendrick said he wasn’t yet sure if he’d be available any capacity Friday night.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly expressed the same sentiment during his pregame media scrum, and the second baseman ultimately received a second consecutive night off. “Not to hit. Well, not really to do anything tonight,” Mattingly answered when asked if Kendrick was available after his club’s fourth loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games this season.
While Kendrick managed to avoid being placed on the disabled list, he still isn’t certain how much longer he may be out. “Hopefully not 15 days,” he said. “It feels really good and I can do a lot more on it today [Friday]. What we did yesterday made a big improvement, so we’re going to do the same today and see how it feels tomorrow [Saturday].”
Mattingly is optimistic Kendrick won’t miss much more time or require a stint on the DL. “We feel like we’re going to hopefully be able to weather this little storm with Howie,” he said. With Kendrick out of the lineup, Kiké Hernandez made a second straight start at second base. Kendrick is batting .285/.347/.430 with five home runs, 12 doubles and 23 RBIs in 52 games this season, his first with the Dodgers.
[divide]Don Mattingly On Facing The Cardinals
