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Dodgers News: Yasiel Puig Among Players Sent To Arizona

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After concluding a six-game homestand Wednesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a seven-game-in-six-days road trip Friday in St. Louis. It’ll be the first meeting between the Cardinals and Dodgers since Game 4 of the 2014 National League Division Series, though it should be noted each team is without key holdovers.

In some cases — see Dee Gordon and Matt Kemp — its due to offseason moves, and in others, injuries have been an issue. The Cardinals lost Adam Wainwright to a ruptured Achilles tendon and may also lose Matt Adams to season-ending surgery to repair a torn quad; additionally, Matt Holliday won’t play in Friday’s contest due to illness.

As for the Dodgers, they’re still without Carl Crawford, Brandon League and Yasiel Puig, among others. While Los Angeles certainly will focus on the task at hand, what transpires at their Spring Training facility in Arizona over the coming days is also something to monitor.

Still battling tightness in his left hamstring, Puig and others are continuing their rehab at Camelback Ranch. “He’s going to be going to Arizona when we go on the trip,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said earlier in the week. “Soon we’ll be getting into live BPs and things like that. It seems like the biggest problem has been the running part.”

“Every time they’ve tried it, they’ve gotten to some level where he [Puig] felt tightness.” Mattingly also added Crawford is doing core work, but is limited in baseball activities as he works his way back from a torn oblique. Crawford, who has a home in Arizona, has been rehabbing at the club’s Spring Training complex.

Expected to join Puig in Arizona are Brandon Beachy and League. “When we go on the road he’s going to be in Arizona,” Mattingly said. “And if everything continues to go well, Brandon League is also going to go with him and start to get into some simulated game-type situations.”

Beachy threw live batting practice Wednesday as he’s continued to make steady progress in an attempt to return from a second Tommy John surgery. When the Dodgers signed the right-hander, general manager Farhan Zaidi indicated Beachy likely wouldn’t make a season debut until midseason or so.

Like Beachy, League is on the 60-day disabled list. However, he’s only managed to throw from flat ground — albeit on multiple occasions — at this stage in his recovery. League chose rest and rehabilitation ahead of surgery to treat right shoulder inflammation. The initial diagnosis projected he would be sidelined eight weeks.

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6 Comments

  1. The Cardinal are winning without key players and the Dodger are losing without minor players. Hopefully, sabermetrics will prevail.

    1. In what universe are two starting pitchers, your #1 catcher and two starting outfielders “minor players”?

  2. Puig must be the richest bench warmer in the game! He has all of this potential, could probably have his own wing at the Baseball Hall of Fame several years down the road but seemingly prefers to “leg it out” to the non-playing status. Could practically get a whole new team by trading him away. (But then, he’s probably get serious about the game and kill everyone with his bat and throwing arm!)

    1. This may be the dumbest statement I’ve ever read on here. Yeah, I’m sure Puig prefers to be not playing. It’s not like he can force his hammy to heal faster.

      I hope he’s back soon and brings some offense with him!!

    2. Hamstrings are one of the worse injuries to get back from.I think the problem is that they allow the leg to feel better on its own. When the pull occurrs the muscle stretches to another location and it needs to be put back where it belongs. That’s why you see so many players have recurrences…

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